Winterizing Your Car: Preparing for Cold Weather

The Necessity for Winter Preparation

Whether you are planning on storing your car for the winter or planning to drive your car all throughout the winter, it is important to winterize your car. Winter and cold weather offer a variety of new obstacles to both cars and drivers.

1. Tire Inspection

Depending on the conditions that your area may face during the winter, the roads may become slippery. You will need tires that can provide ample traction under these slippery conditions. The first thing that you should do, as you are getting your car ready for the winter, is to check the condition of your tires. Your tires will need to have a good amount of tread on them and the proper tire pressure for your vehicle. If you don't have all-season tires, you may also want to consider switching your summer tires to snow tires for the most traction.

2. Battery Test & Inspection

Car batteries need to work harder in cold conditions. Additionally, their starting capacities are reduced as a result of the drop in temperatures. As you winterize your car, check the battery to ensure that it has enough charge and is not old enough to where it will not accept a charge.

3. Brake Inspection

Slippery surfaces make it much harder to stop immediately. While you cannot eliminate poor road conditions, you can better prepare for them by providing your car with the best stopping power that it can have. Inspect your brakes to determine enough material on the brake pads and that the rotors are in good shape.

4. Change Washer Fluid

Cold weather causes fluids to thicken by lowering their viscosity. Before the weather gets cold you should switch to a winter blend of your preferred windshield washer fluid. This will ensure that the fluid is capable of spraying evenly onto your windshield when you need it.

5. Engine Coolant & Antifreeze

Antifreeze, simultaneously known as coolant, performs multiple tasks in an engine. Its primary purpose is to cool an engine when it is too hot or prevent freezing when the engine is too cold. As a part of your winter car care process, you should check the coolant level in your car and replace the fluid if it is necessary. You should not only check the level of the coolant, but also the color.

6. Windshield Crack & Chip Inspection

Cold weather causes materials, especially metal and glass, to contract and become more brittle. Cracks and chips in a vehicle's windshield can expand exponentially in cold climates. To prevent a complete shatter, you should repair your windshield before the winter if it is damaged.