Possums under the hood? Bitter cold creating unusual problems for drivers

How is your car handling this wintery blast? CTV’s Sanjay Maru has some tips.

With many parts of Ontario already in the grip of bitter cold and temperatures in Windsor expected to dip even further this weekend, local mechanics say some drivers are bringing their vehicles in for service after animals chewed wiring and built nests under the hood.

At Rose City Ford in Windsor, service manager Rob Rossi said some drivers are also dealing with animals seeking warmth inside their vehicles — an issue which has become more noticeable in recent weeks.

Rossi said the problem began surfacing after Windsor’s record-breaking warm spell earlier this month, when temperatures surged above 14 C on Jan. 9 — followed by a sharp return to winter cold.

“Lately, we’ve been seeing a lot of rodent damage under the hood,” Rossi said, adding the damage can be “serious.”

Rossi said animals who were drawn outside by the warmth were being drawn into engine compartments as they looked for shelter from the cold.

“They’re chewing on all the injector wires and stuff like that,” Rossi said. “They’ll go where it’s warm, and they’re trying to make a little home.”

Last week, Rossi said, a customer brought in a vehicle after an engine light came on, prompting a closer inspection by technicians.

“We noticed there was some chewed-up wiring underneath,” Rossi said. “Once my technician lifted it up in the air and pulled the shield underneath off, there was an actual baby possum that was stuck there in the top-right corner.”

In a photo Rossi shared with CTV News — also from last week — white, fibrous material can be seen formed into a nest under the hood, surrounding vital engine components.

Beyond animal-related damage, extreme cold also puts additional strain on vehicle batteries.

Matt Gale, owner of The Battery Man Windsor, said batteries naturally lose capacity over time, a problem that becomes more noticeable as temperatures fall.

“Every year that you have a car, you’re losing 10 per cent of your reserve capacity,” Gale said. “As the battery gets older, the cold cranking amps — the ability to start the vehicle in the cold — reduces.”

Gale said regular use and proper maintenance can help prevent cold-weather failures.

“Some of the best ways you can prevent problems are starting the car regularly and going for a drive so it can charge,” said Gale, adding it’s important to check for corrosive material on your battery terminal.

Battery corrosion appears as a powdery white, bluish, or green residue that typically forms around the battery terminals, posts, or cable connections. It develops gradually as gases released by the battery’s sulfuric acid escape during normal operation.

“Maintaining a clean connection is important. If you’re seeing corrosion build up around your connections, pull those off and clean them up with an abrasive brush before putting them back on.”

According to Gale, short trips are less effective at keeping batteries charged.

“The alternator charges the battery,” Gale said. “The longer you’re driving, the longer that charge is going into the battery.”

Gale added that prolonged cold weather can accelerate existing issues.

“Every day that we’re below zero is harder on your battery,” he said. “If you’re struggling right now, it’s most likely not going to get better over the coming weeks.”

Electric vehicle owners face similar challenges.

“With lithium batteries, just like auto batteries, they do lose reserve capacity in the cold,” Gale said. “If you have an EV, you want to make sure you’re keeping it extra charged because you’re going to be losing a lot of your running time.”

Tires are another factor drivers may need to reconsider as winter conditions persist.

At Expert Tire & Alignment in Windsor, the owner says staff have seen a growing shift away from winter tires and all-season tires.

“All-weather tires are definitely the way to go,” said Christopher Borrink. “They’re a good bang for your buck.”

According to Borrink, all-weather tires are built to handle frequent freeze-thaw cycles seen in urban cities, offering reliable traction on snow and ice while still performing well on wet and bare pavement.

Unlike winter tires, they don’t need to be swapped seasonally, and they outperform all-season tires when temperatures drop below freezing.

A driver’s preferred choice of tire, Borrink said, often depends on where they typically travel.

“If you’re constantly going up north to a place like North Bay, that’s where winter tires will come in handy,” he said. “But if you’re going to London or Toronto, those all-weathers are much better than an all-season.”

He added that all-weather tires can also come with insurance benefits.

“You can identify an all-season tire by checking if it has a three-peak mountain snowflake symbol on it,” he said. “Once the insurance company recognizes that, you can get anywhere from five per cent or lower on your car insurance, depending on your provider.”

As temperatures continue to fall, mechanics say paying attention to maintenance — and popping the hood more often than you normally would in warmer temperatures — can help prevent bigger problems.

“In this kind of cold, you want to keep an eye on that stuff,” added Rossi.

On Jan. 20, the temperature in Windsor felt like –25 C with the wind chill. This Saturday, the high is expected to approach –20 C but that doesn’t factor in the wind chill.