"jasmine via CarKB.com" <u16036@uwe> wrote
> Hi , I'm trying to determine if my mechanic is ripping me off !? He says
my
> car wont start if it's - 10 outside ?!

What evidence does he claim to have to support this claim in any way?

> It was -19 degres this morning ( with
> the windshield ) and my car start with no problem ! I went and got it
tested
> at another shop ( Call me paranoid but as soon as they see a woman walk
in
> they see Dollar bills ! ) It was over 14 volts at all times with the car
> running ,

Great. That's what it should be.

When the car is not running, a voltmeter should indicate 12 volts across the
battery terminals.

These are just basic checks. There are others.

How old is the battery, anyway? If you got 4.5 years or more out of it, then
you probably got your money's worth. If you're worried about being stranded
somewhere, and the battery is at least this old, I'd replace it.
Particularly if you did a few jumps on the car. Jumps also shorten the life
of batteries. (Or it's running a battery down until it has insufficient
energy to start the car that shortens its life.)

Start paying attention to how readily the car starts. If one is attentive,
one can detect just by the sounds whether the battery is near-death.

It's best not to wait until the battery dies completely, because a dying
battery may shorten the alternator's life.

If you have a manual transmission and want to know how to start the car
without the battery, for the short term, say so, and I or someone will give
the steps for doing a "push start."

> I even pressed on the brakes to make sure reading was accurate as
> well as turned on all my defrosts , radio , and heat . the 2 nd dealer
said I
> do not need a new battery . I'm confused now !? How can I know for sure if
I
> need a new battery !? Please help me ! =)