When wicked winter weather is barreling toward you, it’s important to take proper safety precautions. One task you can’t afford to overlook is winterizing your vehicle. To ensure you can get from point A to point B without incident after bad weather hits, learn how to prepare your car for a winter storm.
Fill Up Your Tires
Bitterly cold air often decreases the pressure in your car’s tires, and low air pressure can be potentially dangerous on winter roads. As such, it’s essential to check your tire pressure and fill your tires if necessary. If you have experience filling your tires, you can take your car to a free air pump at your local gas station. If not, a mechanic will be able to check the levels of your tires and fill them for you.
Keep in mind that most cars have a tire pressure monitoring system that will alert you when your tire pressure is low. Always pay attention when the indicator light is illuminated so you can avoid driving on underinflated tires.
Inspect Your Battery
During winter weather, your vehicle’s battery capacity decreases. Thus, an important way to prepare your car for a winter storm is to have a professional inspect your battery’s fluid levels and cable connections. You certainly don’t want to be stranded in a snowstorm with a dead car battery.
If you haven’t changed your battery in quite a while, there’s a good chance it will need to be replaced sooner rather than later. During the winter months, you’re using your headlights and heating system more often which can drain your battery quicker. To err on the side of caution, it may be wise to replace your battery before winter even if you technically have some life left in your current one.
Prepare a Car Care Kit
Winter weather can be unpredictable, so it’s crucial to have all the necessary tools in your car in case a big storm rolls through. Make sure you have an ice scraper, deicer, and snow shovel in your vehicle to properly clean the car and the area around it before you start driving.
You should also keep an emergency winter kit in your trunk in case you’re stranded somewhere. Recommended items include:
• First aid kit• Blanket
• Jumper cables
• Gloves
• Flashlight
• Road flares
It’s also a good idea to keep a few snacks and water in your car in case you’re stuck for several hours. No matter where you’re headed, you’ll feel good knowing you’re prepared for any situation.
Install Winter Wipers
There are several dos and don’ts when preparing for winter driving, and one thing you should seriously consider is installing winter wipers. Winter windshield wipers are equipped with rubber that prevents ice from collecting on the blades. Winter wipers allow you to thoroughly clean your windshield regardless of the temperature.
Once spring approaches, you’ll want to make sure you remove the winter wipers and reinstall your regular ones. Winter wipers are heavier and can wear down your wiper motor if used year-round.
By properly caring for your vehicle, you can extend its working life. Not to mention, a properly maintained car can handle whatever Mother Nature has in store.
