WIND CHILL AT 8 A.M. TOMORROW. BRUTAL. OKAY. THANK YOU. BILL. SURE. AS BILL SAID, THE COLDEST AIR THIS SEASON ON ITS WAY. AND KETV IS WORKING TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE. THE EXTREME COLD CAN IMPACT AND DELAY TRAVEL. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S BETH CARLSON SPOKE WITH AN OMAHA MECHANIC ON WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR CAR CAN RUN IN THE COLD. SHE JOINS US FROM STORMWATCH SEVEN. HEY, BETH. HEY, JULIE. YEAH, WE’VE GOT SUBZERO. FEELS LIKE TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW. AND THAT’S WHY WE’RE JOINING YOU FROM STORMWATCH SEVEN RIGHT NOW. WE’RE IN DOWNTOWN OMAHA. WE’LL TAKE A LOOK FROM OUTSIDE OUR VEHICLE. WE’RE KEEPING WARM INSIDE, BUT IT’S COLD, AND IT’S GOING TO CONTINUE BEING COLD. THAT’S WHAT WE TALKED TO. A MECHANIC WITH TIPS FOR DRIVERS ON WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO STAY SAFE. IT’S THE START OF AN EXTREME COLD COMING IN NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA. IF YOU’RE NOT ACCLIMATED FOR THAT WEATHER, DON’T DRIVE IN IT. DON’T GO OUT IN IT. THE TEMPS ARE CAUSE FOR CONCERN FOR CARS. MICHAEL CLARK HAS RUN MIDTOWN AUTO SERVICES FOR OVER 20 YEARS. THE NUMBER ONE CALL WE GET IS, HEY, MY CAR WON’T START AND IT STARTS UNDER THE HOOD. MECHANICS SAY IT’S IMPORTANT TO THINK AHEAD WITH TRAVEL BEFORE THE EXTREME COLD. ONE EASY WAY IS TO CHECK YOUR CAR’S BATTERY BEFORE YOU HIT THE ROAD. IT’S ALMOST ALWAYS THE BATTERY. YOU GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT COLD CRANKING AMPERAGE IS THERE. SO WHEN IT GETS BELOW ZERO, THERE’S STILL ENOUGH JUICE IN THAT BATTERY TO POP THE STARTER OFF. IT’S COMMON PRACTICE TO LET YOUR CAR WARM UP BEFORE YOU HIT THE GAS, BUT DOES IT HELP? I DON’T HAVE A LOT OF DATA ON THAT. I TYPICALLY START MY CAR UP AND I’LL SIT IN IT FOR, YOU KNOW, 2 OR 3 MINUTES BEFORE GOING BECAUSE I’M TOO COLD AND I DON’T WANT TO SIT THERE. SO I JUST DRIVE IT. IF YOU’RE NOT PLANNING ON DRIVING, STARTING IT AND LETTING IT IDLE, THAT’S NOT GOOD. START DRIVING IT AND GETTING IT OUT ON THE ROAD. NOT A SHORT TRIP. SHORT TRIPS ARE DAMAGING TO CARS. LONG TRIP, YOU KNOW, 20 OR 30 MINUTES. IF YOU PLAN ON TRAVELING, MAKE SURE YOU’VE GOT EMERGENCY GEAR AND A PLAN PUT IN PLACE. IF YOUR CAR GIVES OUT, THE FIRST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS GET TO SAFETY. YOU KNOW, GET A TOW TRUCK COMING TO TOW YOUR TRUCK. DON’T DON’T SIT THERE AND TRY TO FIX IT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ESPECIALLY ON THE INTERSTATE. IT’S DANGEROUS AND IT’S DUMB. THE NEBRASKA STATE PATROL RECOMMENDS HAVING A WINTER KIT IN YOUR CAR IF YOU ARE STRANDED. THAT SHOULD INCLUDE THINGS LIKE JUMPER CABLES, A CELL PHONE CHARGER, BLANKETS, AND FLARES. TROOPERS ALSO RECOMMEND GRABBING A FULL TANK OF GAS IF YOU’RE PLANNING ON TRAVELING F
‘It’s almost always the battery’: Omaha mechanic advises on car care as extreme cold hits Nebraska
With extreme cold weather approaching Nebraska and southwest Iowa, an Omaha mechanic says it’s important to think ahead with your vehicle.
As Omaha and Southwest Iowa brace for arctic cold Thursday night into Friday, an Omaha car mechanic is sharing how drivers can keep their cars running in the cold.Michael Clark has run Midtown Auto Service for 20 years. He said the extreme temperatures can cause problems for vehicles, and the easiest way to avoid problems is to think ahead.”The number one call we get is, ‘hey, my car won’t start,'” Clark said. “It’s almost always the battery. You got to make sure that the cold cranking amperage is there. So when it gets below zero, there’s still enough juice in that battery to pop the starter off.”Clark said the cold temperatures bring in more callers with car problems. A common question he’s asked by drivers is how long a vehicle needs to warm up before it’s good to drive. “I don’t have a lot of data on that. I typically start my car up, and I’ll sit in it for, you know, two, three minutes before going because I’m too cold and I don’t want to sit there, so I just drive it,” Clark said.Clark said it’s not wise to let your car idle with the engine on if you’re not planning on driving.”Starting it and letting it idle, that’s not good,” Clark said. “Get it out on the road. Not a short trip. Short trips are damaging to cars. Long trip, you know, 20, 30 minutes.”The Nebraska State Patrol recommends having a winter kit in your car, including jumper cables, a cellphone charger, a blanket and flares. Troopers also suggest ensuring a full tank of gas before starting any journey.”The first thing you want to do is get to safety. You know, get a tow truck coming,” Clark said. “Don’t sit there and try to fix it on the side of the road, especially on the interstate. It’s dangerous and it’s dumb.”Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
As Omaha and Southwest Iowa brace for arctic cold Thursday night into Friday, an Omaha car mechanic is sharing how drivers can keep their cars running in the cold.
Michael Clark has run Midtown Auto Service for 20 years. He said the extreme temperatures can cause problems for vehicles, and the easiest way to avoid problems is to think ahead.
“The number one call we get is, ‘hey, my car won’t start,'” Clark said. “It’s almost always the battery. You got to make sure that the cold cranking amperage is there. So when it gets below zero, there’s still enough juice in that battery to pop the starter off.”
Clark said the cold temperatures bring in more callers with car problems. A common question he’s asked by drivers is how long a vehicle needs to warm up before it’s good to drive.
“I don’t have a lot of data on that. I typically start my car up, and I’ll sit in it for, you know, two, three minutes before going because I’m too cold and I don’t want to sit there, so I just drive it,” Clark said.
Clark said it’s not wise to let your car idle with the engine on if you’re not planning on driving.
“Starting it and letting it idle, that’s not good,” Clark said. “Get it out on the road. Not a short trip. Short trips are damaging to cars. Long trip, you know, 20, 30 minutes.”
The Nebraska State Patrol recommends having a winter kit in your car, including jumper cables, a cellphone charger, a blanket and flares. Troopers also suggest ensuring a full tank of gas before starting any journey.
“The first thing you want to do is get to safety. You know, get a tow truck coming,” Clark said. “Don’t sit there and try to fix it on the side of the road, especially on the interstate. It’s dangerous and it’s dumb.”
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
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