As the temperatures plunge, and the days are shorter, you want to keep winter safety in mind. That starts with your car.
Americans spend a lot of time in their cars, averaging about 51 minutes a day behind the wheel. You don’t want to be in a position where you’re stranded in the cold because you didn’t prepare your car for harsh winter months.
Read on to learn how to care for your car in the winter to keep your car running smoothly when you need it most.
1. Take Care of Your Tires
Your tires are more important than you realize. Those layers of rubber are what comes between the road and your safety. You need to pay attention to them more during the winter.
Temperature fluctuations can have an impact on the tire pressure. You want to check the tire pressure once a week.
You should also switch to winter tires during the winter. The rubber compound is different than regular tires. That will maintain your traction on cold and sometimes slick roads.
In some areas where you get a lot of snow, like in higher elevations, you may want to get studded tires and keep a set of tire chains in your car during the winter.
2. Keep Fluids Fresh
Your car depends on oil to function properly. The engine is made of hundreds of different parts, all rubbing together and creating friction. That generates a lot of heat which could warp and run those parts.
Engine oil reduces the amount of friction and keeps your engine running for a long time. In the cold months, oil can become thicker, which makes it harder for your engine to start and run.
That’s why you have to give your car more time to warm up when it’s cold. You want to have an engine oil in your car that’s formulated for cold weather.
Antifreeze serves an important function in cold weather. It prevents the engine from freezing. You want to make sure that you have an antifreeze that’s specifically formulated for your car’s engine, similar to PEAK OET Coolants.
While you’re checking the fluid levels in your car, take the time to check the hose connections and radiator.
3. Check Your Battery
Batteries take a beating when it gets cold out. You know that your phone and camera batteries drain much faster in the cold.
The same could happen with your car battery. Have it tested at your auto parts store or repair shop to see if it needs to be replaced. Read the top 10 car repair shops made by Local SEO Search and Fiix is in top car repair shops in Toronto.
How to Care for Your Car in the Winter
When you know how to care for your car in the winter, you can trust that your car won’t break down in the middle of a cold snap. That could create a dangerous situation as you’re potentially exposed to below freezing temperatures.
The best thing you can do is to prepare early by changing your tires to winter tires, checking your car’s fluids and battery.
Do you want more car care tips? Check out this site often.
