Now that winter is here, it’s best to try and avoid any breakdowns due to the grueling weather! No one wants to be that person on the side of the road in the snow. The more you take care of your vehicle today, the less likely you are to have a breakdown or to need an unexpected car repair later. Bring your car in to your local car repair shop regularly for the best preventative car care. Here are six winter tips for quality car care this season.
1.Keep your car battery up to speed!
The life of your car battery is really important in the winter season. It takes more power for your car to start up due to the freezing cold temperatures. If your car battery is weak in the summertime or fall, it could become dead in the wintertime if not repaired beforehand. To avoid this and avoid being stranded somewhere, get a battery life check at your local car repair shop. They will be able to help evaluate where your battery is at and give you quality car care.
2. Check your tire pressure!
Another winter tip for you is to take care of your tire pressure! Make checking your vehicle’s tire pressure a habit if it isn’t already. You may consider doing it a couple of extra times in the winter due to extremely cold temperatures. For quality car care, you want to give your tires the right amount of pressure to be balanced on the road.
3. Create a winter survival kit!
Be prepared for the worst situation in the wintertime by building your own survival winter car kit! Gather together resources like batteries, a blanket, a flashlight, jumper cables, a first aid kit, and more. Have these things on hand to be prepared for anything and everything, no matter what the season.
4. Warm up your car!
Now, most articles say to warm up your car for way too long before driving off in your vehicle. Our quality car care recommendation is to simply turn on your vehicle and to wait no more than 30 seconds before driving off. This will give your car the correct amount of lubrication and oil flow before leaving. Idling your vehicle for long periods of time will not do a good job of this. It will only waste your gas.
5. Check your wiper fluid!
There can be quite a lot of salt buildup on your vehicle after those salt trucks come out. While we are thankful for the salt, your car may not be as thankful. Make sure your wiper fluids are full. Being able to see out of your windows in the wintertime is extremely necessary!
Check your wiper blades while you are at it. If these break on the road while it’s snowing outside, it could leave you in a dangerous spot. Double-check that your wiper blades are in good condition before leaving during a winter storm or every couple of weeks in the winter.
6. Drive on a full tank!
It is always wise to drive with a full or at least a half tank of gas during the wintertime. You never know when the temperatures will drop, so be prepared for the worst and for fuel lines to freeze in the worst conditions. Filling up your gas tank more in the winter will also give you peace of mind.
We hope these six winter tips for quality car care help you feel more prepared for the last leg of this winter cold! Come and see us at Harris Automotive for any of your car repair needs!