How to Prepare Your Car for Winter
Today we will address all the potential issues you may have whilst driving in the coldest months of the year. With the harsh temperatures, precipitation, and unpredictability, winter is one of the most dangerous times to drive. Safety on the road starts with safety in your vehicle. That’s why it’s important you know how to prepare your car for winter before the season starts. We’ll give you 7 simple handy tips on how to winterise your car so that it’s ready to tackle a temperature drop in the most effective manner.
1. Warming Up Your Car
In cold weather, the engine oil tends to thicken up which inhibits how freely it flows to important parts of the engine. We recommend that you warm up your vehicle for a good 4-5 minutes before you start driving. This will ensure the oil thoroughly lubricates every nook and cranny and will reduce the amount of wear and tear in the engine. Before winter starts, make sure your car has been recently serviced for an oil change and fluid level inspection.
2. Battery Health
Winter months don’t cause temperature related damage to your battery however, its effects are seen in a different way. If your car battery’s charge is low or close to depletion, there is a good chance of it dying off during winter. The distilled water inside the battery plays a key role in the chemical reaction occurring inside. If this water freezes during the reaction, it can cause permanent, irreplaceable damage to the cells. The primary signs of battery damage are weak/flickering lights, startup troubles, non-functioning interior lights or audio systems. These problems can be attributed to loose terminals or connections as well. If your car is over three years old, it might not necessarily need a new battery, but having it tested is a quick and harmless job. Your service garage can make sure your battery can hold a charge and remove any battery corrosion.
3. The Windscreen
During colder months, fog, mist, and smoke have a strong tendency to accumulate over the windscreen. This is caused by an extreme temperature difference between the outer and inner environment of the car. It can greatly effect your visibility making it very dangerous to drive. You can prevent the occurrence of fogging by placing a dehumidifier pack inside your vehicle during the winter. It is also important to replace your wiper blades and keep a spare pair in your car. When windscreen wipers wear down, they can cause water smears on the windscreen and become more dangerous for winter drives. To prevent wear of your wipers, only use an ice scraper to clear ice from your windscreen. It’s also important to ensure your wiper fluid is freeze resistant and that you keep extra wiper fluid in your vehicle.
4. Antifreeze/Coolant
In the summer this clever liquid works to keep your engine cool and save it from the excruciating heat. It also plays an equally important role during winters as well. When the temperatures reduce, the chemicals in this liquid ensure that the engine doesn’t freeze up and jam. It works round the clock ensuring that the temperature inside the engine is always regulated and optimum. This is why it’s so important to ensure that the antifreeze is up to the required levels. If needed, have your antifreeze replaced before the start of the winter season. Don’t forget to check brake, transmission and power steering fluid levels.
5. Fuel
Try to maintain a full tank of fuel, especially in freezing conditions. A full tank may help prevent frozen gas lines and other headaches. It will also keep you warm while you wait for roadside rescue in the event of a weather emergency.
6. Snow Tyres & Pressure
Don’t wait until the last minute to purchase snow tyres. If you live in rural areas where roads are less likely to be cleared, it’s especially important to get snow tyres as soon as possible. Check your tyre pressure. Remember, cold weather can cause tyres to deflate more quickly. Many cars alert the owner when air is needed due to weather fluctuations, but it never hurts to keep a gauge handy. Your owner’s manual will recommend appropriate tyre pressure for various driving conditions.
7. Winter Breakdown Necessities
If you mainly drive in urban areas there really isn’t much need for a full-blown survival kit in the car boot. However, everyone should have a full container of washer fluid, a light-weight snow shovel, lined work gloves, a good quality ice-scraper/snow brush combo, a bright flash light that will stand or hang on its own, a set of emergency reflectors, a first-aid kit that can withstand freezing temperatures, a family pack of emergency foil blankets and some folding traction mats.
If you’d like to book your vehicle in for a service, or need any car advice before winter arrives, contact Pan at Aire Valley Workshop in Skipton on 01756 795444 or email [email protected].