Media post: How to Get Your Car Ready for Winter

While it’s not even officially fall yet, you might already be looking forward to and preparing for winter. One area that you could overlook is the importance of winter-proofing your car.

The risk of being in accidents on icy or snowy roads is significant, and if you weatherproof your vehicle for the winter weather, you can reduce your risk. Additionally, snow and cold temperatures can adversely affect your car in different ways.

The following are the things you should make sure you do to get your vehicle ready for whatever you might encounter this winter on the roadways.

Get An Oil Change

An oil change can help you get ready for winter, but not just any oil change. If you’re close to the 30,000-mile mark when you need a full service for your vehicle, you want to make sure they use the right kind of oil for winter. That means oil that’s the right thickness.

When it’s cold, oil usually thickens. You don’t want it to be too thick; otherwise, it won’t work optimally.

You can check your owner’s manual, which will tell you the right kind of oil to use based on temperature and climate.

Check Your Battery

When the temperatures drop, your engine needs more current from the battery to start. With that in mind, double-check that your battery is working properly.

First, you can make sure you have enough charge. To do this, you can turn on your headlights before starting your engine. Then, turn the engine on. If your lights get brighter, your battery might be dying.

You can also use a voltmeter on your own or have a mechanic do it to test the actual voltage. Ensure there are no cracks or breaks in the cable and have your mechanic check your battery fluid.

If your battery is more than three years old, it’s crucial to have a repair shop test how well it can hold a charge.

Look at Your Antifreeze Level

Before winter comes, you want to make sure you have the right level of antifreeze. If you’re running low, the water in your radiator might freeze. That would then prevent it from cooling your engine. Talk to your mechanic if you’re unsure about the mix of antifreeze you need for your engine.

The goal is to have a 50/50 ratio of antifreeze and water in your radiator.

Determine Your Tire Pressure

Regardless of the season, but particularly in winter when you need traction in icy, wet, and snowy conditions, your tires must be inflated correctly. Traction often gets jeopardized in winter. The air pressure in tires usually goes down as it gets colder too.

You may lose around one pound per square inch every time the temperature drops by 10 degrees.

Check your owner’s manual to know the optimal tire pressure for your vehicle.

If you live somewhere snowy and with hills, you might also consider switching over to snow tires. Snow tires can help improve your traction further.

If you have a four-wheel drive, make sure it’s working well too. You want your system to both engage and disengage easily.

Examine Your Wiper Blades

Have you ever changed your windshield wiper blades? Maybe not, yet they only work well for about a year. You should change them out before winter if you haven’t within the past year.

You also want to make sure your windshield washer reservoir is filled with washer fluid before winter and not water. Water can freeze.

Keep a Full Gas Tank

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 will help reduce the potential for moisture to form in your gas lines which can then freeze.

The second reason is that you never know if you could be stuck on the road for an extended period because of the weather. You don’t want to worry about running out of gas if so.

Create an Emergency Kit

Finally, the winter is a critical time to ensure you have an emergency kit in your car if something happens or you’re stranded.

Your kit should include an ice scraper and a snow brush.

You should also have jumper cables, flashlight, blanket, and extra warm clothes during winter. Bottled water, dry food snacks, matches, and a fully charged cell phone are also essential items to have with you.

Head over to Natrad if you are interested in car and radiator repair.