How to Winterize Your Car

For most of us, we adapt our lifestyles, our homes and our wardrobes to the changing seasons. With cooler weather coming, it’s time to apply that same care to your car to keep it running throughout the winter and for years to come. With your car (as with most things), an ounce of investment in prevention can save you lots more money in the long run. With these easy-to-follow tips, getting your car ready for winter weather, or “winterizing” as it’s often called is pretty easy and affordable.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• For this how-to, I've listed everything you will need in the how-to step by step so you can get just what you need.

1. Check your oil. Oil – it makes the wheels and everything else – go. You should always keep up with regular oil changes and automobile maintenance but what some car owners don’t’ realize is that the oil in your car doesn’t perform the same year round as it too is affected by changes in temperature. Your vehicle’s manufacturer will recommend grades of oil for your vehicle and will likely include the correct grades to use according to ambient temperature. The basic idea is that winter oil is often thinner and lighter-weight because heavier oils will thicken in colder weather slowing the flow of oil in the engine and reducing its efficiency.

2. Check your Coolant / Anti-freeze - Check to make sure that your coolant also includes either Ethylene glycol or propylene glycol which will help prevent freezing of your coolant if you are going to be in cold to very cold weather. These chemicals act on the coolant to help lower its freezing point to keep your coolant liquid, and therefore keep it working and cooling your engine when it’s running despite the weather. (As a note, Anti-freeze is a chemical component of coolant).

3. Check your windshield wipers. Most manufacturers and the National Highway Transportation Board recommend changing your windshield wiper blades at least every year. If you live in a climate where you use them often throughout the year, check them for wear at each oil change. Signs of wear that signal the need for replacement include cracking, discoloration, as well as the basic vision test – can you see ok when they’re on? Go by your instinct and what works best for you and do not wait until you need them (and it’s rainy or snowy and cold) to change them.

4. Because you’ll likely be using your windshield wipers more often in the winter, make sure to regularly check your windshield wiper fluid levels. Keep an extra supply at home in the garage or in your trunk just in case.

5. Keep your battery in shape! Most of us have easy to maintain batteries that just keep working. Make sure to check your battery though to see that there are no holes, cracks or leakage. Clean and check your battery terminals if they are covered with that white build-up. A mixture of baking soda and water applied with a cleaning brush can help remove the corrosion. If you are at all worried about doing this yourself, a drive-in auto-lube place can help you.

6. Check your tires: Check your tires. Check your tire treads and that they are deep enough to ensure adequate traction. Tires that are worn down will likely lose traction and create unsafe conditions. You can check your tread depth with a penny. Insert the penny into the tread with the head of Lincoln facing down. If you are able to see all of Lincoln’s head, you should have your tires looked at and likely replacement. You should also check for uneven wear including wear on the outer edges only, wear predominantly in the center of the tread, or wear on the sides of the tire. Any of these signs may signal a problem with inflation or alignment and should be checked by a professional. This is also a great time to ensure that your spare tire is in the car, in good repair and properly inflated. Make sure that you also are carrying a car jack for changing the tire and know how to use it. Consider snow tires if you live in a place that gets plenty of snow. Investing in snow tires and using them during the winter months can help increase your traction and safety.

7. Check all of your belts and hoses. Watch out for belts that are cracked or frayed and have them replaced. Your hoses should look uniform in color and should be without any cracks or swelling.

8. Plan for emergencies. Winter weather often wrecks havoc on winter travel for ski trips, the holidays, and outings. Plan for emergencies by stocking your car with an emergency kit to keep yourself warm, comfortable and safe no matter what. Make sure that you have your route planned ahead of time and let people know where you are going and when to expect you. You cannot always count on your cell phone so communicate with friends and family whenever you are travelling. Items you can include: warm blanket(s) – you can get great emergency blankets from an outdoor store, or pack a few of your old wool ones from the closet to keep you and your passengers warm.
   Sturdy shoes with traction (snow or hiking boots work great)
   Gloves and hats
   An ice scraper
   A flashlight with batteries
   Flares
   Extra provisions – water and long shelf-life food items like snack bars, chocolate bars, and crackers work great.
   a small shovel
   a flashlight
   jumper cables
   Tire chains (if traveling where there is a likelihood of snow)
   A spare tire that is in good repair and is filled with air (and the equipment and knowledge for changing it).
   A bag of kitty litter which can be used for additional traction if you get stuck in some snow or ice.
   First-aid kit (inexpensive kits are available from the Red Cross or at your local drug store.)
   Old towels – for drying off if you get stuck in the rain or snow.

Tips & Warnings

• Having roadside assistance coverage whether through the Automobile Club of America, your insurance company, your auto dealership or another private party can be a great investment in peace of mind.
• Make sure to check road and travel conditions before heading out especially when travelling over mountain passes or other locations with potentially treacherous winter driving conditions.

[pixiemama]

on 10/14/2008 very useful and with the cold season coming up we really need this.