If you usually drive in an area where it doesn’t get very cold, you don’t really have to worry about the weather affecting your car maintenance. However, when driving and parking your car in somewhere in a colder climate, there are ways to care for your car that you normally wouldn’t have to think about. So here is a list of car maintenance tips in cold weather.
Car Maintenance Tip #1: Be patient and let your car warm up
Cold weather is hard on us, so imagine how hard it can be on your car. You have to put layers of clothes to stay warm, so it is the same for you car. If you can, cover it over night, or park it inside. When you start it, be patient. It needs time to warm up. Don’t try to turn it on and drive away. It’s bad for your engine. Let it run for a few minutes.
Car Maintenance Tip #2: Start it every day
If you do not plan to drive every day, make sure to start your car every day anyways. Cold weather affects your battery, and if you don’t start your car on a regular basis, your battery will die. So make sure to start your car and run the battery to charge it up a little.
Car Maintenance Tip #3: Keep a full tank of gas
If you keep the gas tank half full to full, less water will be created and the risk of it freezing in the gas line decreases. Also keep in mind that you might get stuck on your way due to bad road conditions and you want to keep the engine running to stay warm inside.
Car Maintenance Tip #4: Lift windshield wipers from windshield
By lifting your windshield wipers up from the windshield, you prevent ice to form between the rubber and the windshield. If you don’t it will freeze to the windshield and you won’t be able to use it. If it snows, it will be easier to clean the snow of your windshield without breaking them.
Never use your wipers on an icy windshield or when its covered with snow. The snow is much heavier than you think and could ruin the engine of the windshield wipers or simply break them off and the icy will damage the rubber of your wipers. Sorry, there is no easy way out, you need to scrape and wipe it off…
Car Maintenance Tip #5: Fill up with the right fluids
Make sure your radiator and your windshield washer are filled up with coolant (or anti freeze). Though most coolants now are good for all seasons, check to see if you should fill your car with a coolant for lower temperatures. Also, you should use better oil for your car that is specially advised for cold weather. Finally fill up the windshield washer. On the road, you will use it a lot as the cars in front of you will splash your windshield, making it hard to see through! Make sure the fluid you use it appropriate for cold weather.
Car Maintenance Tip #6: Check your tires
Your tire pressure drops with the temperature. It is important to check it and make sure your tires are inflated properly for the road conditions. The right tire pressure allows better grip to the road and less chance of sliding. Remember to be prepared: have chains if you don’t have snow tires and know how to put your snow chains on your tires.
Car Maintenance Tip #7: Always clean your car before you drive
When your car is covered with snow or an ice layer, always take time to clean it off completely for better visibility. For the snow, make sure you take it of the roof as well as it can fall on your windshield and you would drive like blind folded. For the ice use an ice scrapper to scrape it from your windshields, passenger windows and the rear window. Never put hot water on your windshield when frozen, it will burst in pieces! Just remember cold weather requires being more patient and careful than usual. Visibility is very important. Also remember, if your windows are covered with ice, it means your lock might be frozen too, so do not force the key in, you might break it. You can try to put warm water on it or buy an antifreeze for your locks. But don’t store it in your car!
Car Maintenance Tip #8: Think ahead, have a safety kit
Just in case you might encounter unforeseeable events, it is wise to have a safety kit for cold weather conditions. Make sure to have warm clothes, a blanket, flashlight, maybe a few snacks, and an unfrozen bottle of water in case you get stuck and have to wait for help for a while.
Good car maintenance in cold weather is important to keep your car in good shape and running, but also to keep you safe. So remember to follow those tips and to be informed about safety tips for winter driving. Have a safe trip.
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Thanks for the great tips! It’s not always easy, but spending a little extra time in the winter having patience and preparing for the worst can prevent costly, time-consuming emergencies.
We’ve got some more great winter driving and auto repair tips over at our auto repair blog, Keep the Car. Like this one on winter driving techniques: http://cars4keeps.blogspot.com/2009/12/safe-winter-weather-driving-tips.html
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