Prepare Your Car for Winter

Winter is coming. It is only a short time away. The snow could start flying at any moment. Are you ready for it? Just as important, is your car ready for it? Winter places new stresses on your car that is hasn't had to deal with for the last six months or more. If you haven't already done it, it is time to get your car ready.

Start by popping the hood on the car and doing a quick visual inspection around the engine. Is there anything that is obviously out of place? If so, try to find where it belongs and get it back in place. Now how does the battery look? Are the terminals corroded? The more corrosion that is on the battery terminals, the less electricity there is getting to the car itself. If the terminals are corroded, take them off and clean them well. You can buy a simple tool at any auto parts store that is basically a wire brush. It cleans the terminals and the inside of the battery clamps to ensure proper contact. You can also purchase a spray that coats the terminals and keeps the corrosion from coming back.

Now take a look at the engine oil. Is it between the full lines or do you need to add some oil? If you are getting close to an oil change, go ahead and do it now. It is always a good idea to get an oil changes before the start of winter. New oil keeps your engine lubricated and running smoothly.

You should also check your radiator fluid while you are looking under the hood. The first thing to check with your radiator fluid is that it is the proper strength for winter. If you don't already have one, you can buy little tester that will tell you how strong your radiator fluid is. The more balls that float in the tester, the stronger the fluid and the better freeze protection that you have. After making sure the fluid strength is up to par, you should make sure that the level is full as well. The overflow bottle should be to the full line.

Next on your list should be your tires. How do they look? Do they have plenty of tread left on them to make it through winter safely? The less tread on a tire, the less grip they will have on the road. You should also make sure that they are inflated properly. Check in your owners manual to see what the proper inflation pressure is for your tires. Either add or remove air as necessary to get them where they need to be.

This completes the basics of what you should do to your car. If you are more mechanically inclined, there are other fluid levels and such that should be checked on a regular basis. If you are less mechanically inclined, most oil change places will do a quick safety inspection during your oil change. They will check all of the fluid levels, tire pressures, belts, etc for any problems. Many times they will take care of the problems right there if they are equipped to handle it. Otherwise, they can refer you to somewhere that can handle it.

One last thing to think about with winter approaching; are you ready if your car does breakdown or if you get stuck somewhere? You should carry a winter safety kit in your car in case of emergency. At the least, this kit should contain a blanket, extra clothes, a portable shovel if you have room for it, and some cat litter. The shovel and cat litter are in case you get stuck in the snow. You can dig yourself most of the way out and then put the cat litter down for extra traction. A blanket and extra clothes will come in handy while you are waiting for a tow truck or a family member to show up. You can expand this kit to include first aid supplies, emergency snacks, flares, and many other items that can make being stranded much less painful.

With a little bit of forward planning, your car will be ready for the stresses of winter driving. And a car that is ready for winter will prove to be more reliable that a car that was not prepared for winter.