EDMONTON -- As Edmonton descended into the deep freeze over the weekend, many drivers found that their vehicles wouldn’t start.
“It sucks. It is so bad. But that’s what you get for not plugging in a vehicle when it’s supposed to be -40 out,” said one driver.
Frustrating for drivers, but good for some businesses. When the temperature drops calls for tow truck services spike.
“A lot of boosts. A lot of unlocks for people that start their cars and accidentally lock themselves out,” said Ryan Dunlop of Cliff’s Towing.
Cliff's Towing has responded to well over 100 calls in two days. Courtney Abdul said the cold made a battery problem worse.
“It hadn’t been starting for a couple of days because it’s been cold. We tried to boost, it won’t boost so we have to send it to get a new battery. There’s nothing we can do it’s just been too cold.”
Experts say calls for service have also increased because of vehicles left parked for extended periods of time with many working from home.
“It’s always a good idea to start it up once a day or every couple days or take it for a drive around the block just to keep all the parts moving,” said Dunlop.
He said keeping your gas tank topped will help keep you warm if you get stranded, and prevent too much condensation in your tank.
“When your tank runs low it has more of a chance of sucking up the water versus fuel.”
Plugging in your vehicle overnight will go a long way to help make sure it starts when you need it to.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson.
