Hey all,
Very cold morning here in Maine. @ 5º... Anyway - When I start my vehicle in very cold weather I have noticed a fast clicking sound while all of my gauges are trying to 'unstick' for lack of a better description. tick-tick-tick-tick-tick.......... then finally al of my gauges come up. After driving for a while then stopping and restarting the issue is gone. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

Your battery is getting weak. If it is over 3 years old, I'd look at having it replaced. If the battery is new, you might want to look and see if the alternator is charging properly. If it has been a while between starts (several days), it might not be that big of an issue.

 

Ah - OK. That would make sense. Same battery as when I bought it in 2008... Thanks!
As long as the battery does work will they continue to kick in once the vehicle has started? or can I cause them damage if I don't address this right away?

 

It will be fine, but it will probably leave you stranded here soon. I was able to limp by for a week or so when mine was doing it about a month ago (2008 original battery), but temps were still in the upper 30's/low 40's, so it hadn't gotten as cold yet. With temps getting into the teens and single digits, I'd imagine you're pressing your luck every day you wait.

 

Would this still be the case if my engine seems to start fine - this is occurring after the engine fires up. Lasts for about 3-5 seconds. Again, only when it is very cold and has not been driven for a day or so.

 

Engine cranking is usually pretty slow compared to a new battery. If you've got 4-5 years on the factory battery, it's time to buy a new one. Like I said, mine started every time, and didn't have any issues running, but the battery cranking capacity was just toast. Even read 100% on the battery charger.