It’s the dead of winter, and that can mean issues with your car.
AAA East Central spokesperson Bevi Powell said call volume has doubled because of Pittsburgh’s stretch of below-freezing temperatures.
“Most of those calls coming in are primarily batteries that won’t start, and then tires, because the cold weather affects the air pressure on your tires,” Powell said. “And then lockouts because people start their cars so that its nice and warm, and then they discover that they’ve locked their keys in the car.”
Of all the calls, Powell said batteries are the biggest concern.
“Whenever the weather is below freezing, it takes more power for your car to start," she said. "So if your battery is a couple of years old, then there’s some danger that it’s lost some of its power and it may not start when you go out on a cold morning.”
Powell had one more piece of advice to avoid getting stranded in the cold.
“Make sure the air pressure in your tires—that it’s properly inflated [and] you match that up with what the sticker says on your doorjamb.”
