When temperatures drop, you know winter is coming, or maybe it’s already here. Frost, ice, snow, and sleet often accompanies this cold season, but that doesn’t mean your car needs to be winterized. Consider these tips to help preparing car for winter and deal with inclement weather as soon as it arrives.
Serve your car before the cold.
Regardless of the weather, regular vehicle maintenance is always essential to keeping your vehicle running smoothly. But extreme temperature changes can affect your car, so it’s essential to ensure it is in working order before winter hits.
Check the fluid level in the wiper.
It is recommended to keep the water level in the windshield washer reservoir full during the colder months. A total pool means you can keep your windshield clean even on the snowiest day. If you live in an area where temperatures get extremely cold, you may need a special fluid that won’t freeze in cold temperatures.
You may also need to switch to winter oil because oil viscosity is affected by cold temperatures.
The oil in your engine thins as the temperature rises, so a thicker, higher viscosity oil will help keep your engine lubricated adequately in warmer climates. For the same reason, heavier oils are not as effective in cold conditions. Contact the nearest car service if you have questions or feel uncomfortable solving this problem yourself.
While checking fluids, it doesn’t hurt to check other little things under the hood that can fail in extreme conditions. For example, ensure the battery is charged, check your car’s hoses, and ensure the tires are in good condition.
Use winter tires
As the temperature drops, so does the air pressure in your tires. Tire pressure will decrease as the temperature drops. Low tire pressure can dangerously affect your car’s handling, so it’s important to inflate your tires properly .
In part of Russia, the winter is quite severe, so you should have a set of winter tires that are made specifically for snowy and icy surfaces.
Create a winter emergency kit in your car
Brutal winter weather is a fact of life in much of the country. Cold temperatures, freezing rain, snow drifts, and icy roads can all be part of your winter driving season. Imagine that you are driving late at night with a heavy snowstorm. Or maybe you have a problem with your car. Perhaps your car will skid on the road, and your vehicle will get stuck in a snowdrift. Or what if you were in an accident and now the occupants of multiple vehicles are stranded? Keeping an adequately stocked winter car emergency kit can help you survive.
If you want to survive and make the most of your time before help arrives, your emergency kit should include these items:
- First aid kit
- Required Medications
- Flares or reflectors to signal for help and warn other drivers
- Flashlight
- Additional batteries
- Connecting cables
- Snow and ice scraper
- snow brush
- Blanket or sleeping bag
- Tire chains and tow straps
- A different set of winter clothes
- Snow shovel
Preparing a car for winter, here are a few other things you can do:
- Keep a portable mobile phone charger with you.
- Keep your gas tank at least half full.
- Check your car’s antifreeze, brakes, heater, tires, and windshield wipers to ensure they’re in good condition.
If you get into an accident or get stuck in severe winter weather, you will feel relieved that you were prepared.
