by Jonte Rhodes

Created on: December 18, 2008   Last Updated: January 29, 2009

Getting a diesel vehicle started in the morning on a cold day can be a major pain for millions of people all across the world. This is particularly troublesome if you have to be at work or have an appointment to keep. Fortunately however, there are several things that you can check to ensure that every morning isn't an uphill struggle.

Unlike regular gasoline vehicles, diesel cars do not get along well with the cold weather. Where a regular car might be fine and start first time on a frosty morning, a diesel might fight you for a good few minutes before any signs of life can be detected. With this in mind it is important to ensure that your diesel vehicle is in good condition and if possible warmer than the outside air temperature to ensure a prompt start every morning.

Basically in diesel vehicles, the battery needs to be warmed up slightly as well as well charged in order to have the power to start the engine. If the battery is low, or particularly cold, then it might not be able to get sufficient cranking power to get the engine to start very easily. This is worth checking even if your vehicle starts fine in warm weather because cold weather makes everything more difficult in diesel vehicles.

Wherever possible, it is always better to store a diesel vehicle in your garage in the colder weather, which often keeps it sufficiently warm enough to make starting up in the morning that little bit easier. Using either new glow plugs or block heaters can also be effective, as these warm the specific areas of the vehicle needed for getting it started.

Block heaters can often be purchased from diesel dealerships, as well as being easily obtainable form the internet and auto parts specialists. They are basically a heater which plugs into a regular electric outlet and keeps the engine warm overnight. Block heaters also help to aid the vaporization of fuel when you start the vehicle, which helps to reduce pollution.

Although block heaters are usually installed in the factory, if they need to be replaced for any reason, they can often be installed by amateurs with a basic knowledge of the workings of an engine. If for any reason you end up having to leave your car in a parking lot for any length of time, many northern areas will have electrical outlets in each space. If there are no such appliances, then trying to make sure you get back to the car as quickly as possible is the best option.

Before the invention of the block heater or glow plug, there were a variety of different

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