Status: 14.01.2024, 12:58 p.m.
By: Anna-Lena Kiegerl
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Winter on the streets. With the icy temperatures, there are also problems for cars again. Diesel vehicles are particularly affected.
Munich – After Christmas brought mild temperatures, it is now getting really cold in many places. Temperatures below zero are no longer uncommon. But this not only leads to frozen roads and sidewalks, the cars themselves can also get into problems due to the cold.
Car won't start or engine stops: diesel can freeze
This is because the engines of diesel cars could no longer start or even fail while driving. The ADAC warns against this. As early as freezing point, the first paraffin particles form in the diesel. These can clog the fuel system. To prevent this, there is winter diesel. But here, too, problems can sometimes occur from minus seven degrees.
The additives of the winter diesel are intended to prevent the fuel from flocculating and thus also from clogging. In addition, some vehicles also have fuel heating systems. These can also be useful.
Winter diesel as a solution to freezing fuel? Often not sufficient in severe cold
Winter diesel is available in German petrol stations from mid-November to the end of February. This is mandatory for the providers. This means that the consumer himself does not have to pay attention to filling up with winter diesel and gets the fuel at the same price, even if the prices of fuel generally vary depending on the time of day. The problem: against severe cold, both measures, winter diesel and fuel heating, are often not sufficient to prevent flocculation.
With the arrival of winter, there are some problems for motorists. © Imago/imagebroker
Winter diesel is supposed to work down to minus 20 degrees. However, a test by the ADAC in 2013 showed otherwise: sensitive vehicles in particular can also get into problems earlier. This is due to the fact that cars are often left out in the cold for several days.
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Diesel car in the cold: what you can do
- Fill up with winter diesel in good time → remaining amount of summer diesel in the tank should be as low as possible
- Observe the manufacturer's maintenance instructions, especially when changing the fuel filter
- Park your car away from the cold and wind
- Do not mix diesel and petrol under any circumstances
- Use additives for flow improvement only if approved by the manufacturer
- Use fuel from storage tanks only if it is suitable for cold
- Defrost the broken down vehicle in a heated garage, the fuel filter may need to be replaced
If the car is still frozen, the only thing left to do is to wait. This is because all the fuel has to thaw first. The car will not be able to drive again until the entire fuel system has warmed up. To do this, the vehicle must be parked for an extended period of time in an environment above 0 degrees. However, under no circumstances should hair dryers or heat guns be used. This can cause damage to the car.