It’s freezing outside but the show must go on! Each morning can be dreadful when it comes to your morning and evening commute. Many depend on their trusty seat warmers and defrost to lessen the effect of the cold on comfort and car operation. There’s so much more to keeping your car in good shape for the weather in the winter months. Are you prepared?
Confirm Proper Windshield Washer Fluid Levels
In the winter time, you may find yourself using the windshield washer fluid more than usual, thanks to the way ice and snow mix to create a residue that causes poor visibility. Getting caught without enough windshield washer fluid can prevent you from safely driving due to a cloudy windshield.
Inspect Wiper Blades
- Check the squeegee (the part of the wiper blade that wipes the windshield) for rips, tears, or cracks. If you notice any, it’s time for a replacement.
- Make sure the squeegee is flexible enough to conform to the contours of the windshield.
- Ensure there’s no corrosion, disengagement, or any other damages to the wiper frame.
- Finally, regardless of how the wiper blades look or operate, it’s important to replace them every 6 months. Dirt can collect on the windshield creating small tears on the edge of the blade not obvious to the naked eye causing streaking and smearing on the windshield, and low visibility leading to unsafe driving conditions.
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Ensure A Sufficient Battery Charge
Car batteries like to fizzle out in the winter months as the cold seeks to burn out the last of an insufficient car battery charge. Don’t get stuck with a dead battery! Take your car to your nearest auto parts store and ask them to read your battery charge. This will let you know if it is in good shape for the winter or if a new battery is a worthy investment for the season.
Add Fuel De-icer
Fuel De-icer helps to prevent freezing in the fuel line of your car. This is very important in parts of the country where negative temperatures are the norm. For more mild winter geographies, simply keeping your gas tank over half full will help prevent the fuel line from freezing.
Properly Treaded Tires
Old, tread-stripped tires are a disaster waiting to happen in the winter. Ice and slick roads can create an extremely dangerous combination when mixed with blading tires. Tires with proper treads can greatly increase traction in poor road conditions. In some areas with a lot of snow and ice, you may consider adding chains to your tires for increased traction.
Being unprepared for winter weather is not only inconvenient but also dangerous. While these four recommended services are important in all seasons, winter weather makes them especially valuable. Take our advice and get your car ready for the cold!