Bitter cold could bring car troubles. Here's how to prepare

The extreme cold sweeping into Minnesota over the next few days might mean car troubles.

"We've been dealing with it a lot, but it's about to get way worse," said Nick Holman, a manager at Longfellow Automotive.

Holman says fresh fluids, winter oil and properly filled tires are the best first line of defense. And if you can safely, letting your car warm up a few minutes. 

"Being in tune with it, you know, when you start your car every morning, it's one of those things. If it sounds different, if it seems like it turns over slower, that's your first sign that you should get it checked out ultimately," said Holman.

But batteries tend to be the big problem.

"Most of the time what we deal with is people can't get them to crank over — batteries, electronics, thick fluids too. Cars aren't happy when it's cold," he said.

He says three to five years tends to be the optimal battery lifespan.

"Make sure you have stuff in the car first off to keep yourself warm. Be safe! From there, if you are somewhere you can go get warm, go there. Call AAA or call a shop. Someone that can help you out," he said.

And if you drive an electric car, Holman says trusting those range estimates is a gamble you don't want to roll with.

"Make sure your vehicle is fully charged before it gets cold. Batteries don't charge and discharge the same way they do in a variation of temperatures, so it's better to charge it too before it's ultimately that cold out," he said.