Ways to Winterize Your Car for the Coming Cold
Preparing for winter can be hard, especially when our minds are still caught up in the last precious moments of summer. Although summer met its official end a few days ago, people should begin preparing for fall and, ultimately, winter now. Since we have already discussed how to winterize your home, it’s time to discuss winterizing your car.
Insurance mogul Geico has some helpful hints and tips to ensure the safety of its drivers this winter season. The first suggestion is getting a tune up. This means you will have to make an appointment with your local mechanic, but it’s likely worth it. Have the mechanic check your hoses, belts, and anti-freeze to make sure you get the most out of your car. They also suggest that you check your heater and defroster by doing a simple runthrough of the features.
Another good idea is to check your breaks to make sure that they work properly and nothing goes amiss when they meet the snow covered roads. Other tips include getting your exhaust system checked; during your car service appointment you can ask your mechanic to check for leaks, which can emit deadly carbon monoxide. Last but not least, make sure to keep an eye on your gas tank before you hit the road – keep it at least at half a tank to ensure you reach your destination.
Another common practice to add to your winterization checklist is to check and possibly change the engine coolant, as most fuel systems can be easily checked at your regular oil change. If you decide to check the system yourself, do not ever open the cooling system within the following 2 hours after the engine has been running at any point. Other winterizing tips include changing regular washer fluid to “winter” washer fluid. As opposed to regular blue washer fluid, winter washer fluid tends to be orange. It is important to use the winter fluid because using regular washer fluid on a cold day can result in the windshield and wipers becoming frozen.
Winterizing tires is one of the most important winterizing to-dos. If the tread of your tires is low, driving in the snow can be difficult and dangerous. Tire chains are the easiest solution people have produced to combat this problem. It is crucial to make sure the tire tread is in good shape before installing the chains. Checking your battery’s capacity this winter is another good idea, as your battery is somewhat reduced during the winter months. Check over your battery to make sure there are no breaks or cracks in any of the cables.
One lifesaving tip the DMV offers is packing an emergency kit this winter. If you are unfortunate enough to be stranded in the snow, it is important to have these essential items handy in an emergency situation. Items such as flares, blankets, boots, radio, engine oil, washer fluid, coolant, and a flashlight could help out when things get rough.
As almost anyone who has driven in extreme cold can attest, be absolutely sure to warm up the engine before you start driving, making visibility a priority by brushing away any excess snow. If you do start sliding on the road, remember that removing your foot from the brake and turning the steering wheel in the same direction as the rear wheels is commonly cited as the safest course of action. As we move into fall, don’t let winter sneak up on you. Follow these tips to prepare for a safe and informed winter season ahead.
