Next, unless it's an electric blanket it won't do squat to keep your battery warm. Blankets don't give off heat. Batteries only give off heat when they're cranking. So putting a blanket on it will do nothing.
The battery insulators you see on late model cars are designed to keep underhood heet AWAY from the battery.
Your best insurance against no-strarts in cold weather is to have a fresh battery no older than 4-years. After that you're gambling.
What part of Tennessee? How cold do you expect it will get? I lived in Northern Michigan where the high temperature for the day was often 20 degrees below zero in January and February. I never used a battery blanket, but I did carry jumper cables at all times.
If it still has the original battery it is 10 years old, expect to replace it even if it is 80 degrees all winter.
A blanket only works on an object that puts off heat, so it will do nothing but fuel a possible fire hazard.
There are insulating wraps that fit around batteries for areas well below zero F. But they have to be plugged in and must have a thermostat on the cord to prevent overheating.
It never gets cold enough in Nashville to be concerned...all the company vehicles ( over 100) for the HVAC business are parked outside , we had our three personal vehicles parked outside ...the only problem is when there's an ice storm, but the temps are only in the 20's during these events and everything closes down anyway...look around Nashville, you'll see houses built without even a covered parking area...It may be cold to you, but your car has no parts that need to be heated or plugged in to function properly in Middle TN.
More batteries die because in hot weather! Get a free 15 second battery load test done at any store that sells new ones *other than Auto Zone. A quick load test will tell the reserve amperage capacity. Amperage spins starter motors not voltage.
It's shorten the life of the battery because it likes to be cool. Having a blanket insulates the heat when charging thus overheats and boils the battery acids. If you buy a good battery(see cca rating on the battery label) it will not have cold starting issues.
A battery does not die because it is cold, it dies because it's worn out.
Buy a new battery and don't skimp on a cheap one.
A blanket will do absolutely nothing for your battery. It will not overheat or do anything to keep it warm.
I just moved to Tennessee for college and I came from Florida so I never had to deal with a battery dying from cold temps. I've read about a special insulating blanket that is made for batteries but since I'm on a college campus with an open parking lot I can't keep it plugged in, can I just wrap a regular blanket around it at night? I have a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe, if it makes a difference.
