I had the same problem a few years ago on a 93 Liberty (Legacy) Wagon 2.2. Mechanic diagnosed it as dead temp sensor, the 2 wire sensor, and replaced.
Everything was fine for a few days and the problem reoccurred. I had a close look and mechanic hadn't fully pushed the connector onto the temp sensor. I made sure that the connector was seated properly and it's been fine ever since. Check for loose or damaged connector / wiring to the temp sensor.
Even in mild Sydney, (Australia),winters at 10 degrees C - about 50F, the car would nearly drain the battery when cranking over with bad / disconnected temp sensor. If the motor did fire I couldn't apply any accelerator for about a minute or so until the motor started to warm up. When warm, of course, the motor ran sweetly.
