The Most Important Car Maintenance Tasks for Winter

Seven Essential Winter Care Tips for Your Car

Cold is not friendly to automobiles in any way possible, not even to cars. There are few measures that one should take to ensure that his or her car will run well during this period. Below are the 7 most important things that you must do to prepare your car for the winter season.

Check the Battery

Low temperatures can greatly cut the cranking capability of car batteries. Cold reduces the efficiency with which chemical reactions within the battery will produce energy and provide enough to start the engine. 

Most auto parts stores will test the strength of your battery for you. If your battery is over 3 years old or if the testing reveals low battery capacity, then it serves you right to replace your battery. 

It is also ensured that one does not get stuck out in the cold by having installed a new battery before winter sets in.

Check the Tire Pressure

Tire pressure falls 1 psi for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit that the air temperature drops. It means that your tires have less inflation meaning your fuel will not last long, your tires will wear off very fast and your vehicle will be difficult to manoeuvre. Inflation that is too low also decreases the amount of grip on snow and ice. 

Try checking the tyre pressure using a quality tyre pressure check to see if you need to add more air to match the psi depicted inside the driver’s doorframe or the car’s Owner’s manual. You need to pump your tires to the right pressure to achieve the right tire pressure.

Check Belts and Hoses:every 15,000 miles or 12 months

The fluctuations in winter temperatures of the extreme variant has inherent tendencies of leading to rods and belts to expand and contract thus becoming loose or develop cracks. 

Be careful of those belts that are worn, twisted and uneven in texture. Also check for cracking, soft digs, tears or cuts, bulging or discoloration on all hoses. To ensure those belts and hoses are replaced, take your vehicle to a local mechanic and they will examine your vehicle to see if something should be changed. 

This helps to prevent catastrophic failures much of which applies to cooling systems and drive belts.

Get an Oil Change  

Lighter engine oil such as 5W-30 allows better flow at the start of cold winter than the heavier engine oil. Most vehicles also advise that you get a new oil change for the approaching winter season as 10W engineering outperforms 5W types in winter. 

To ensure that your vehicle’s engine is lubricated well particularly when it is in the initial stage being driven in or during winter, you should use oil grade as recommended by the manufacturer of your vehicle.

Wash, Polish, and totally check the wiper blades and fluids.

Wiper blades are always known to wear out faster in winter when there is snow and ice. Checks should also be made to all of the wiper blades for cracks, tears or uneven rubber. 

During this process, make sure the blades did not leave streaks on the windshield and did not stick. Windshield washer fluid should be poured into the windshield washer reservoir so there's no freeze. 

Check the antifreeze of your car and make sure it will greatly protect your engine and piping system even in freezing forty below temperature.

Seek a Check-up of your Brakes and Chassis 

Dep $(".xc2").attr('data-v-bbf2084e-aa’: ‘[unique number]’); ice, slush and salt causes rust to accumulate on the brake lines and other underbody parts. Take your car to a mechanic so that a complete brake examination can be carried out to assess brake pad, rotor, calliper and line conditions. 

a lower vehicle oil spray before winter can also protect from corrosion due to the salty roads. This can include ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings and they should all be checked to ensure they are good to use for winter. 

Maintenance activities help to avoid the worst that can happen on a snowy road without intending to happen.

Be Defensive Right Through The Winter

Whether or not you have prepared for such a loss – drive defensively whenever you are on the road when it is freezing. With the speed increase gradually, none of the time will be spent when the car could go off the road. 

The time between two vehicles should be 8-10 seconds to allow a car at the rear sufficient time to stop when the roads are either wet or icy. Be careful when driving in snowy areas, don’t speed up, pay attention to what's going on before you. Whatever the weather is good, steer slowly and gently and don’t spin the car’s tyres. 

Also have in your emergency roadside toolkit warm clothing, jumper cables, flares, traction, flashlight and some snack bar and shovel. The only way for you and your car to get safely through the winter is to take it slow and be extra careful on the road.

Conclusion, 

a person should not sit for a colder climate to start with preventive visits to their auto. 

Replacing those parts cut the odds of being stuck or in a crash during treacherous winter weather. All battery, tire, fluid and component health should be examined at least once at the beginning of each winter season. 

Switch to lighter oils and keep an eye on coolants/antifreeze strength to work well in freezing conditions. A full brake and undercarriage check may be carried out by your preferred local mechanic as scheduled. It’s also important to remain abreast of the recommended intervals for oil changes also. 

It has been established that winter driving and preparation are key to embracing and dealing safely with the icy roads. By sticking to these important maintenance steps you and your car stand the best chance to be ready to tackle any winters that mother nature brings.