As the season changes, your car might need a cold-weather makeover if you want your vehicle to be in its best working order.
Winter-proofing a vehicle is key if you want to save. The money you spend on new fluids, new brakes, wipers, and other minor investments now can save you hundreds or even thousands of pounds further down the line.
Proper winter car preparation can prevent a breakdown or even an accident, therefore every penny and all the effort spent now will be more than worth it.
Read on as we give our top tips on how to prepare your car for winter.
Car battery
Cold, ice and snow are not the only causes of strain on the battery in winter. Infrequent use or short trips can have an impact on the starting power of the battery. Continuous use of the windshield heater or the air conditioning system takes a large amount of power and makes heavy demands on the battery.
We recommend that to avoid unwanted surprises during winter is to have the battery checked by a trained technician. The battery should be checked at the start of winter and changed if necessary.
Tyres
Cold, damp and icy roads can dramatically affect the performance of tyres, leading to an increased accident risk. Steering, acceleration and braking are more difficult before normal tyres have less grip in these conditions.
It is important that you check your tyres on a regular basis throughout winter to ensure that they are in the best condition for maximum safety. The tread depth for winter should be well above the legal minimum of 1.6mm around its entire circumference.
You should also ensure that you check the tyre pressures at least once a month or before a long journey. Tyres pressures can differ when cold so we advise you to refer to your cars manual. When increasing your tyre pressure, this is a good time to check for any signs of damage such as cuts, cracks and embedded objects.
Brakes
Whilst cold weather does not directly affect the brakes, however it can be a contributing factor along with other cold weather related factors which can take a toll on your vehicles brakes.
Before winter sets in, it is a good idea to have your brakes checked over by a professional to ensure that everything is working, this will include all of the systems components including brake pads, discs and brake fluid levels.
Fluids
In extremely cold weather, windshield wiper fluid can actually freeze. This can be very dangerous if you’re driving while it happens, as the sudden inability to clean your windshield of ice and snow will drastically reduce your visibility.
Oil and transmission fluid are important to a cars performance. We recommend undergoing an oil change before winter arrives, as well as running your car for 10 or 15 minutes before driving in order to allow the fluids to heat up and thin out.
Engine coolant is a water-based liquid that cools the engine by absorbing some of the heat that it generates while running. In cold temperatures, engine coolant can freeze and damage the engine. This is why it’s important to have the right amount of antifreeze mixed into your engine coolant. As winter approaches, it’s a good idea to obtain an inexpensive kit to check your coolant levels and add antifreeze if necessary.
Fuel
A vehicle’s fuel can be hampered by the cooler temperatures., this is because cold engines use more fuel than warmed-up ones. De-frosting your vehicle’s window uses a lot of fuel quickly and can reduce efficiency by up to 10%. Using windscreen wipers and lights can also use more fuel as it is working the engine more.
To save fuel try and do as much as you can without turning the engine on such as, defrost windows by hand, leave your vehicle in the garage over night or even use a specialist screen cover to prevent first build up.
It is important to ensure that you have enough fuel before you set off for any journey during the colder months.
If your car requires a winter checkup, feel free to contact us on……where one of our friendly team members will be happy to assist you.
