How To Properly Maintain Your Car in the Winter
The wintertime is rarely kind to anyone. Depending on your location, the season can be rough for three to four months, and your car receives the worse of it all. Eventually, you get to go inside, but your vehicle stays out in the cold, enduring some of those less-than-favorable conditions. To protect your investment, you need to know how to properly maintain your car in the winter.
Get New Tires
How long have you been riding on your current tires? If you can’t recall the date of your last tire change, it might be time to get them replaced. You don’t want to be caught in a snowstorm with bald tires. Even if you recently had them replaced, you need to remember that new tires are not the same as snow tires.
Snow tires offer maximum performance in that specific environment. A combination of lower temperatures and harsh weather decreases the rubber’s ability to grip the ground and keep the vehicle steady. Snow tires will remove these risks and keep you safe.
Run a Service Check
Your vehicle needs a service check at the beginning of the season because there is no telling what the winter will bring. You need to know what is going on underneath your vehicle’s hood. Have your mechanic run a service check on all the important compartments, including:
- Cooling system
- Brakes
- Belts
- Hoses
- Wires and cables
- Battery
- Shocks
Low temperatures can have a drastic effect on these areas of your car. These components need to be in excellent condition before gearing up for the colder months. Make a habit of starting your car once every few days, and don’t leave it sitting for too long. Never leave it parked with the tank on empty, either.
Arm the Interior
You’ll need to arm the interior too. You should pack a winter emergency kit and keep it in the vehicle’s trunk or backseat. Make sure you include salt, kitty litter, flashlights, batteries, jumper cables, and extra blankets. These items may seem like overkill, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Aside from bringing along a kit, you want to make sure the inside of the vehicle is clean. It’s not unheard of for owners to let their vehicles get messy during the colder months. Take the time to clean it out, and consider using a wet-dry vacuum to make it pristine.
Keep Fluids Full
When snow accumulates on your windshield, you may need additional help to get the glass clean, which is where the wiper fluid comes in. Replace your windshield wiper fluid often, and don’t let the fluids get low on your vehicle.
One snowstorm can exhaust the fluid, but keeping fluids full will eliminate the problem of not having the fluid when you really need it. Consider keeping a bottle of antifreeze in your emergency kit.
Properly maintaining your car in the winter keeps you safe and keeps other cars on the road safe. Every little bit helps.