> **Quick Answer:** Cold weather kills weak batteries and thickens oil, making starts hard. If you hear a slow crank or clicking, try a jump start first. If the engine cranks fine but won't fire, or if you get nothing at all after a jump attempt, you likely need a tow. Do not keep cranking. You will make things worse.
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## What To Do
1. **Listen before you do anything.** Turn the key and pay attention. A slow, labored crank means a weak battery. Rapid clicking with no crank means the battery is dead or the connection is bad. Complete silence could be a dead battery, a bad starter, or a safety switch. Each sound points somewhere different.
2. **Check the obvious first.** Make sure the car is fully in Park or Neutral. Cold can cause shifter sensors to misread. Also check that your battery terminals are not coated in white or blue corrosion. A corroded terminal will defeat a jump start before you even begin.
3. **Attempt a jump start if you hear a crank or clicking.** Connect cables positive to positive, negative to the donor car's negative, then to an unpainted metal ground on your dead car (not the battery). Run the donor car for two to three minutes before trying to start yours. If your engine turns over and fires, let it run for at least 20 minutes to recharge.
4. **Do not crank more than 10 seconds at a time.** If it does not start, wait 30 seconds. Repeated long cranks overheat the starter motor and drain whatever charge is left.
5. **If the jump start fails, diagnose before you call a tow.** A car that cranks but will not fire in extreme cold may have a fuel delivery problem, a frozen fuel line, or a bad crankshaft position sensor. A car that cranks normally but dies immediately after a jump points to a bad alternator, not the battery. See [Alternator Failed While Driving: What Happens Next](/alternator-failed-while-driving-what-happens-next/) for what that failure looks like in real time.
6. **Call a tow if any of these are true:**
- No response after two solid jump attempts with a known-good donor car
- Engine cranks but will not start after several tries
- You hear grinding or nothing at all
- The battery light comes on and stays on after a successful jump
- You are stranded somewhere unsafe, like a highway shoulder
If you are not sure whether to wait it out or call, [Car Died on Highway Shoulder: Is It Safe to Wait for a Tow?](/car-died-on-highway-shoulder-safe-to-wait-for-tow/) covers that call in detail.
7. **If you do jump it successfully, get the battery tested that same day.** Any shop will load-test a battery for free. Cold weather does not kill healthy batteries. It exposes ones that were already failing. If the battery tests below 400 CCA (cold cranking amps) on a car that requires 600, replace it before the next cold snap.
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*Photo: Pexels*
## What It Might Cost
A jump start from a roadside service runs $50 to $100 depending on your location and provider. A battery replacement at a shop lands between $150 and $300 parts and labor for most vehicles. A tow to the nearest shop typically runs $75 to $150 for a local haul. If you have [roadside assistance through your insurer](/roadside-assistance-without-insurance-membership-cost/), a jump start is usually covered at no out-of-pocket cost.
If the problem turns out to be a dead battery in a parking structure, you will likely need a service call rather than a tow. [Car Battery Died in Parking Garage: Who to Call Right Now](/car-battery-died-in-parking-garage-who-to-call/) walks through exactly how to handle that situation.
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*Photo: Pexels*
## Stay Safe
- If you are on a road or lot with traffic, turn on your hazard lights the moment you realize the car will not start.
- Do not sit in a running car in a closed garage, even for a few minutes. Carbon monoxide accumulates fast.
- In extreme cold, stay inside the vehicle with the windows cracked slightly if you must wait for help. Do not stand outside in traffic.
- Never connect jumper cables to a visibly cracked or leaking battery. A damaged battery can vent hydrogen gas and ignite.
- If the battery is more than four years old and failing in cold weather, a jump is a temporary fix. Plan for replacement the same day.
## Common Questions
**Q: How many times should I try jumping my car before giving up and calling a tow?**
A: Two solid attempts with a known-good donor vehicle is a reasonable limit. If the car still will not start after two tries, continued attempts are unlikely to help and may overheat the starter or drain both batteries further.
**Q: Will my car be okay if I just drive it after a successful jump start without getting the battery tested?**
A: It is risky to skip the test. A battery that failed in cold weather was likely already weak, and it may not hold enough charge to restart the car once you turn it off, leaving you stranded again within hours.
**Q: Can a frozen fuel line stop my car from starting even if the battery and starter are both fine?**
A: Yes, in extreme cold, moisture in the fuel line can freeze and block fuel delivery entirely. The engine will crank normally but refuse to fire, which can be mistaken for an ignition or battery problem.
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*Need roadside help? Visit [Tow With The Flow](https://towwiththeflow.com/car-wont-start-in-cold-weather-tow-or-jump-start/) for real answers when your car breaks down.*
Car Won't Start in Cold Weather: Tow or Jump Start?
Photo: Pexels