You should not dread winters only because the winter weather proves to be quite a problem for all kinds of vehicles. If you follow the following ten winter car care tips, all you need to worry about this winters then is how big your snow-angel’s going to be. You have probably heard this a million times, from your father or an older brother or even an experienced friend. But here I am to tell this to you again,(repeat after me) it’s all about maintenance. That is a no-brainer, really. Yes, you need to be a little careful. For that, continue reading for winter car care tips below.
Table of Contents
Therefore my first tip to you is,
1) Check Your Fluids
By that, I don’t mean your body’s fluids but your cars’. Now, this is an exercise that you need to fit in your schedule. Maybe every day or every night but you have to. The kind of brake fluid used and the kind of oil and grease are equally as important for you to check.
Remember the simple rule CPPC which basically stands for; cleaning, protecting, prevention and checking your car oil. Don’t forget, you might have the world’s best oil with outward powers, but you still have to do the messy work of getting under the hood.
2) Thaw It Out!
You do not want your doors to be jammed up, do you? Especially in the freezing winter, you would not want that. Hence all you need to do is, spray a bit of silicone or just smear it over the car doors.
You need to do on all the gaskets between the doors of your car and its body. If your key slot keeps getting jammed then you can put graphite inside. It is also best to keep certain thawing chemicals for your lock.
3) Windshield Care
It’s advisable to apply repellant to the windshield and all the car windows in order to keep them free from the muck, slush, and even salt. The repellant fills in the minute pits and scratches to which the stuff sticks to. This makes it very easy to remove ice and snow from the windows. It will be best if you put them on your wiper blades as well.
As winter approaches, you’ll be wanting your vehicle to handle rain, snow, and ice. If your windshield wipers are old, replace them to prevent any mishap. Also check if there are any cracks on windshield due to summer months. Make sure to carry windshield washer solvent and an ice scraper with you.
4) Re-check Your Headlights
Turn your car’s lights on and walk a few times around your vehicle to make sure that they are indeed running properly. If they are any burnt out then replace them immediately. Winter season is the worst time to have your lights broken or not in a working condition. Check the high beams, low beams, and high beams and turn signals. Be sure to check the aim of your lights as well.
During the winter, the sun sets earlier, meaning it’s likely you’ll spend more time commuting while it’s dark. Rain, snow, and fog also make it harder to see and make it harder for other drivers to see you.
If your headlights are foggy or yellow, it’s vital that you clean up any buildup on the lenses. Oxidized plastic can reduce your headlights illumination by 75%, and in the winter where it’s harder to see – you’ll want to make sure your headlights provide the most illumination possible. Replace any dim or damaged bulbs immediately.
5) Check Your Batteries
Winter cuts down a battery’s performance to up to, 50 percent. Ideally, a battery’s life is up to 3-5 years. A damaged car battery shows plenty of symptoms to consider beforehand. Make sure there is no corrosion on the battery and that the execution is fine. Battery’s performance can hinder as the wind course changes in extreme weathers. You must consider tackling the situation beforehand by regularly monitoring the battery using multimeter and load tester. You may also follow winter battery care tips:
Read More: 7 Simple Tips on How to Maintain Car Battery during Winter
6) Examine the brakes
The roads in winters usually gets slipper because of snow melting in sunlight. The chances of slipping on wet roads increases ad to avoid any mishap, your brakes must be powerful Examine the brake pads and disc for wear and tear, get them replaced if its needed to.
Worn brakes are dangerous in winter season. Your brake must work in pristine condition to ensure your vehicle brakes are working fine. Worn brake signs include loud metallic noise, vibration, and squealing sounds.
7) Check your tires
Make this a frequent activity to check the air pressure of the tires. If your tires stay properly inflated that means that your car’s contact with the road will be best. This even helps in save your gas as your tires will define your car’s performance.
Related Pick: Pump Reviews: Buying Car Tire Inflators
8) Have your antifreeze checked
Engine coolant or antifreeze helps regulating your engine during extreme temperatures. In weather changes between hot and cold, coolant pumped throughout the engine to help regulate the even operating temperature. It protects your engine from rust and corrosion as well so make sue you have coolant under the hood.
9) Install winter tires
According to cool weather car care tips, for having the best grip on your car, you need to have winter treads. It is not advisable at all to drive with worn-out or regular tires. There are a number of specialty tires from top tire brands. The winter specialty tires are manufactured to use in snow and winter.
Related Pick: 5 Best Winter and Snow Tires
10) Carry an emergency kit
A sudden situation may arise to anyone. It is best to be prepared for the worst and keep a emergency kit in the car. You may find ready-to-use emergency kits online. But, if you plan on making one by yourself, we’ll recommend getting these items;
- First aid kit
- Blankets, mittens, socks
- Ice scraper
- Flashlight with batteries
- Jumper cables
- Bottled water
- Multi-tool (such as a Leatherman multi-tool or a Swiss Army knife)
- Windshield cleaner
This guide will help you to manage driving in extreme cold weather. Make sure to be prepared for the upcoming temperature changes to ensure hassle-free driving!
