Getting Your Car Ready for Winter
Fall may not even be officially over just yet, but there is no reason you shouldn’t get a jump on preparing your car for winter. One of the most important points on this task list will be winter proofing your car.
Driving on winter roads exposes the moving car to a wide range of risks. These risks can be reduced considerably by winter-proofing your car. In addition to road risks, snow and very low temperatures can impact the functionality of your car in other ways.
Here are some of the things you should do to ensure your car is ready for the cold weather and icy roadways we can expect in just a few short weeks.
Get An Oil Change
An oil change is an important part of getting your car ready for the winter. If you are getting closer to the 30,000-mile point, you will need the full-service option for your vehicle and you may want to make sure that they are using the right type of oil for the imminent winter. This means that the oil will have the correct thickness.
Oil naturally thickens in cold weather, but you don’t want it too thick or it will not function as intended.
If you are not sure which oil is the right oil for your needs, refer to your owner’s manual for a read out of the various oils you should be using in which temperatures.
Check Your Battery
When the sub-zero temperatures begin to roll in the engine requires more juice from the battery to start. This means you will want to make sure that your battery is in tip-top working conditions.
The first and most important thing to do is make sure that you always have enough charge. Check the level of charge by flipping on your headlights beams before you turn on the engine. Then, start the engine. If you notice that the headlights shine brighter after the engine has been started, your battery is getting a bit low.
Then, you can also use a voltmeter on your own or have a mechanic do this work for you. Be sure that your battery is in perfect condition with no cracks, leaks or breaks in the cables. You could also have your mechanic check the battery fluid.
If you have a battery that is over three years old, it is of the utmost importance that you have it taken to the Pomona Auto Body and checked for how much charge it can carry, or you may find yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere in the winter snow.
Look at Your Antifreeze Level
Before the winter brings the first deep freeze, make sure you have equipped your car with the right level of antifreeze. If you are running low on antifreeze, you may wake one morning to find that the water in your radiator has frozen over. This would hamper the function of your radiator considerably. If you are unsure of which antifreeze and how to mix the correct ratios for your car, speak with an experienced mechanic.
As a general rule of thumb, the ratio for antifreeze to water should be roughly 50/50.
Determine Your Tire Pressure
No matter how cold or warm the winter in your area may be, the tires on your car must be inflated to the proper level. In icy roads and wet snowy conditions, the air pressure in the tires can drop dramatically. Traction can suffer in cold weather and this can cause serious accidents.
It is even possible for you to lose as much as a full-PSI each time the temperature drops by a single degree. If you are not sure about the correct PSI for your car in winter, refer to your owner’s manual for specifics.
If you live in a hilly or mountainous region and experience very cold winters, you may consider fitting your car with snow tires. These specially designed tires allow for improved traction in the ice and snow.
If you have a four-wheel drive, make sure that the 4X4 traction is working well. You want this important feature of your vehicle to engage and disengage easily.
Keep a Full Gas Tank
As the winter approaches, try to keep your fuel tank filled more than halfway with fuel at all times. There are a few important reasons for this.
With winter approaching, try to always maintain at least half a tank of gas at all times. There are a few reasons for this.
First, it reduces the potential that moisture will gather in the tank and fuel lines which can freeze and impact the function of the car.
The next reason is that you never want to be out of gas in the middle of nowhere for any extended period of time in the cold weather.
