How To Winterizing Your Car

For those who live in warm climates, taking care of your car is a routine that continues unchanged year round. However, for those who live in colder climates, taking special precautions to ensure that their vehicles are adequately equipped to handle the winter months is vital to ensuring that their cars remain in proper working function. Not only is winterizing your car important for your car’s maintenance, but it is also an important step to ensure that you are safe as you drive on treacherous winter roads. Winterizing your car ensures that your car is properly tuned up and well serviced, as well as having a winter safety kit stored in your car to ensure that you are well equipped in case of any unforeseen emergencies.

To ensure that your car is adequately prepared for winter driving on slick roads, you will need to have the tires checked. Snow tires are the safest option for those driving on winter roads and it is recommended that you have snow tires put on your car before the first flake falls. Along with choosing snow tires, you should also check your tire pressure as it commonly falls during colder weather. Your target tire pressure will be included in any manufacturer’s information regarding your brand of tires, so be sure to double check with your manual and adjust your tire pressure to the recommended level.

Water causes pipes to freeze and burst therefore it is important that you address all areas of fluid in your vehicle before the winter season begins. This includes having an oil change, flushing your coolant’s system and replacing it with the proper level of anti freeze, and using windshield washer fluid in place of regular water. As the weather becomes colder, oil tends to thicken and lose its efficiency. Make sure that you are using the right type of oil recommended for your vehicle, and if you need that 30,000-mile oil change, by all means, have that performed before winter begins.

It is also important to make sure that you are using 50% antifreeze-50% water in your vehicle’s radiator system. If you need to flush out your old coolant, use caution as it is very toxic, again, your vehicle’s manual will explain which antifreeze is best recommended for use during the winter months. You want to ensure that you are not using plain water, as it will lead to complications.

Your windshield wipers can mean the difference between life and death during a heavy storm, therefore you should ensure that your wipers are in great working order and if needed, purchase new ones before driving during the winter months. It is also important to use windshield wiper fluid to ensure that it wont’ freeze.

Have your vehicle inspected with a full service tune up and have the battery checked as well. If your battery needs to be replaced you should have that performed immediately. Also, ensure that all belts and hoses are in proper working order.

Finally, make sure that you have an emergency prepared safety kit in your vehicle at all times. Start by ensuring that your spare tire is fully inflated and in proper working order, and create a kit that contains the following items.