How to Winterize Your Vehicle

December 30, 2022

White car on snowy road, winter scene with trees and sunlight. | Dave's Automotive LLC
The weather conditions during winter are harsh, particularly for your vehicle. The car could experience a significant breakdown in just a few months. It is hence crucial to winterize your vehicle before winter. Preparing the interior and exterior of the vehicle is the best way to ensure that travels during the holidays are safe and stress-free. Read on to find out how to winterize your car.

Winter Car Service

To prepare your car for the winter, you ought to have it serviced for winter conditions. Start with the battery, which loses power the colder it gets. If your battery has been having problems, replace it before winter. Otherwise, get a battery suitable for winter performance.

Check the vehicle's cooling system too. Ensure you have the best antifreeze for your car and the proper antifreeze-to-water ratio.

You want your brakes to function optimally for winter, so tune them up as well. Check all the belts, hoses, spark plugs, wires, and cables to ensure they work during winter.

Winter Tires

It is wise to get season-appropriate tires for winter. The wet and icy conditions make it difficult for regular tires to steer, and in some cases impossible.

To winterize your vehicle, replace the all-season tires with winter tires. They will not harden and offer better traction and grip on the road.

Even though they are winter tires, they should be properly inflated.

Winter Safety Kit

When you get stranded on a lonely road in winter, it could get disastrous very quickly. Therefore, part of winterizing your car should be including a winter safety kit in the trunk.

The winter safety kit should include a pair of gloves, shovels, food, a flashlight, batteries, and a first aid kit. Include any other tools and supplies you might need during winter.

Winterizing your vehicle is essential for safety during winter. The three tips above are just the beginning. Do everything possible to prepare your car for the season.

If you need help getting your vehicle ready for winter, we invite you to bring your vehicle into our auto repair shop today.

 

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