Even though the cold season brings a lot of opportunities for winter sports, it also brings a lot of risks for automobile owners if they do not perform preventative maintenance before winter comes. Taking care of the vehicle is essential since it provides a safe and reliable mode of transportation when temperatures start to drop. This is particularly true at this time when the pandemic is not yet over.
Preparing the car allows you to avoid issues when you are on the road during winter. Here are the things that you should do to prepare your vehicle for winter.
Check the Fluids
One of the leading causes of vehicle breakdowns is dirty or low fluid levels. To avoid finding yourself stuck in the middle of the road during winter, you should check the vehicle’s fluids. You should also make sure that the vehicle has the correct antifreeze mixture for the cooling system.
You should make sure that the cooling system should have a water and antifreeze mixture of at least 50:50. If the antifreeze goes below 50 percent of the ratio, the fluid will freeze. In this situation, the engine block will crack, which requires major repairs for the vehicle.
Aside from the coolant, you should also check the other fluids under the hood of the automobile. These fluids include brake oil, engine oil, power steering fluid, and transmission fluid. Checking some fluids requires going under the vehicle. If you do not know how to do this, you should bring your vehicle to a car shop.
Protect the Vehicle from the Elements
Deicing the roads during winter requires a lot of salt to ensure the roads are safe for everyone to use. But the combination of salt and snow on the roads causes rust to form on an automobile, which leads to major repairs. To protect the vehicle, you should make sure to wash the undercarriage and exterior at least once a week.
You should also park the vehicle inside the garage to protect it from the elements during winter. If you do not have a covered parking area, you should use a waterproof cover on the vehicle. You should also wash the interior of the vehicle and get a new set of floor mats.
Installing car wrapping on the vehicle will also protect it from the elements. These laminates are made of durable material that acts as a barrier between weather exposure and the vehicle’s paint. If it is completed properly, you will not even see any sticky residue when it’s removed.
Bring the Vehicle to a Service Center
The pandemic made it essential for people to clean and disinfect their vehicles, especially if they’re used to bring a patient to the hospital. Aside from cleaning and disinfecting it, you should also prepare your vehicle for winter by having it serviced.
The service center should check the vehicle’s battery since its power goes down when the temperature goes down. The vehicle will have issues starting when the battery has low power. If you haven’t checked the cooling system, the service center should check it for you. They should make sure the correct ratio of water to antifreeze. The percentage of antifreeze in the cooling system should be at least 50 percent.
Additionally, checking the brakes is important even though cold weather has little effect on them. It’s always a good idea to have functioning brakes to avoid accidents while on the road during winter. Checking the other components in the vehicle is also essential to prevent breakdowns while you are on the road. Let the service center check the spark plugs, hoses, and belts, among others.
Check the Tires
You should also check the tires of the vehicle before winter comes. The cold season will see a lot of roads covered with snow and ice. Due to this, you should make sure the tires are in good condition and are inflated properly.
You should look for noticeable damage on the tires, such as missing chunks of rubber and bubbles along their sides. If you notice these signs of damage, you should replace the tires before the cold season comes.
Measuring the tread depth is also important to prevent accidents. If you live in an area with a lot of snowfall during winter, you should get winter tires to increase traction if you have to go through roads filled with snow and ice. Maintaining the correct tire pressure is important to prevent accelerated wear and tear of the tires.
Preparing a vehicle for winter is the best way to avoid accidents while on the road when the cold season comes.
