The seasons are changing and it is getting colder outside. That means that it is about time to winterize your car. Depending on where you live will determine if you need to winterize your car. If you are someone who lives in a place where it really does not get that cold or does not get inclement weather, this will not apply to you. But if you feel like playing it safe and not risking anything, you can follow these steps to ensure you are ready when the winter weather comes in. You don’t want to be unprepared in the event of a winter storm. If you car or truck has not been properly winterized, you are risking getting stuck or crashing your car. Winterizing your car is the best way at putting your best foot forward in getting prepared for the winter.
Steps to take to Winterize your Car
1. Take you car in to get serviced for the winter elements
When you take your car in for service, ask them to check you brakes, cooling system, the battery, belts, hoses, and spark plugs. The last thing you want when it is freezing cold outside is if your car doesn’t start in the morning. Making sure you have a fully charged battery and properly functioning spark plugs is essential. Everything is harder when it is colder outside including starting your car. Sometimes your car just sounds like it has had enough and it just cant start. Getting your battery and spark plugs checked before winter starts is a must.
2. Putting on your winter tires
Snow and ice are very dangerous even with winter tires on your car. But if you do not have that extra tread, you may not be able to stop in time and you may get into an accident that could have been avoidable. That little bit of extra tread could be the difference in having and accident and not. When the temperatures get really low, the rubber will begin to get really hard. This causes the tire to not be able to grip as much as a winter tire would be able to. Winter tires are made differently so this does not happen.
3. Tire pressure upkeep
Have you ever noticed that when the temperature starts to decrease, your tires pressure will slowly go down too? If your tires are too low, you will begin to lose the amount of control you have over the vehicle. Once your tire gets to a certain point, it is not safe to drive anymore. When the temperature changes 10 degrees in either directly, hot or cold. It could add or subtract 1 PSI from your tires. So if it 60 degrees one day and the next it is 50 degrees. Most likely your tires will have gone down 1 PSI. Be sure to keep an eye on your tire pressure no matter what season we are in. Without air in your tires, you will not be going anywhere, regardless of the season or temperatures outside. If you are unsure about the correct PSI that should be in your tires, the manufacturer always puts the recommended amount in the door jam. It is usually on the driver’s side. It can also be found in the owner’s manual. You can also just google it.
4. Keep up with the Changing temperatures
Once the temperature gets below freezing (32 degrees), the water that has been sitting on the road, could change into ice. If there is any chance for the temperature to drop below freezing, make sure to be very careful on the roads. Check the weather often. Before setting off on a long road trip or if you are just going to the store, you need to be paying attention to the temperature.
5. Installing winter wipers
Winter wipers have rubber on them so ice won’t get stuck on the wipers. If there is ice on the wipers, they won’t do you any good. But you have to be mindful to remove the winter wiper blades once winter is over because they weigh more than regular wipers do. Over time, the motor that runs the wipers can wear down and you will end up having to replace the motor. A very avoidable expense if you can remember to take off the winter wipers.
Make sure your wiper fluid is always topped off. There are solutions that are meant for the winter conditions. You can get the liquid almost anywhere. But if you go to an auto parts store, you can ask a worker and they will be able to get it for you. Or you can request if when you have your car serviced.
6. Winter safety kit
If you get stranded on the side of the road and don’t have any way to contact someone to come help you, it is good to have a winter safety kit in your car. You can keep it in your car all year round so you don’t forget to put it in the car. The items that you should keep in your car in the winter are:
– Jumper cables
– Food and water
– Matches
– A flashlight with spare batteries or rechargeable batteries
– A shovel in case of getting stuck
– Bag of sand: for traction if you get stuck
– Some people use kitty litter
– Extra antifreeze
– Ice scraper
– Blankets, gloves, hats, winter coats
– Flares
7. Keep at least 1/2 tank of gas at all times
You may get stuck somewhere and the car will be the only thing that will keep you warm. You want to have as much gas as possible at all times. If it is really cold, the gas line could possibly freeze up.
8. Defrosters are in good working order
Your defrosters are going to be your best friend if you park your car outside. If your defrosters do not work, it will be much more difficult to scrape your windows in the morning. Scraping without the assistance of the defrosters is very difficult. You do not know how valuable they are until they don’t work. To avoid running into this issue, before the winter season starts, have your defrosters checked out to ensure they are working properly.
If you follow these steps, you should be all set when the winter weather comes in. We don’t always know the extent of how bad the winter storm is going to be, so it is important to prepare for the worst. Regardless of the type of car you have, once the seasons start to change, you should start getting your safety kit together. Some of the items in the safety kit should already be in your car at all times. You should always have a flashlight, some food and water, and some jumper cables somewhere in your car. If you would like to get your car checked out to make sure everything is working right, set up an appointment at a Poage dealership near you.
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