PHILADELPHIA, PA, (January 14, 2013) – Cold winter weather is rough on batteries, as many motorists find out the hard way when their cars won’t start on a chilly day. Battery calls are one of the top three reasons people call AAA roadside assistance (the other two reasons are towing and flat tires).

“The changing technology in today’s automobile has also changed the role of the battery,” says John Ryder, an ASE master auto technician and Approved Auto Repair territory manager at AAA Mid-Atlantic. “It’s no longer really an issue of cold cranking amps as starters are more efficient. The constant small load the battery now draws when the engine is not running has grown exponentially to support ‘keep alive’ memories for idle, seats, radio, engine control unit and the vast assortment of luxuries that consumers demand.” Some vehicles are already equipped with start – stop technology that further taxes the battery.

AAA Mid-Atlantic says there are some warning signs that you are at risk for a battery-related breakdown: