Preparing Your Car For Winter Driving

My career as an automotive improvement expert began when I modified my first car. Since then, as a car enthusiast and published author, my obsession with the automobile has led me to enhance tons of vehicles both inside and out. That’s why I’m thrilled to be a part of a brand new series designed to help keep your car looking great and your engine running like new! I’m Chris Duke, and welcome to eHow’s Auto Center brought to you by Mobil1! Hey Chris, Winter is going to be here soon. Do you have a checklist of things I could use to get ready for winter driving? Thanks! -John Hey John! Driving in winter conditions is something you should definitely prepare for. Here’s a good checklist to use when getting ready for that first cold cruise. Let’s start at the very front. When driving in winter conditions your lights are very important. Make sure all the lights on your vehicle are in working order. Test them in order so you remember to test them all… headlights, high beams, brake lights, turn signals and hazard flashers. Make sure the lenses are clean so that your lights are easily visible too! If those headlights are hazy, check out our headlight restoration video! Now check your windshield wipers and wiper fluid. You should have winter-ready wipers and if you live in an area where climates get very cold, make sure you have proper windshield wiper fluid that won’t freeze in cold weather. It will tell you right on the front of the bottle what temperatures it will cover. Now put on some safety glasses and check under the hood. The first thing to look at is your oil. The cold weather starts can add stress to your engine. One way to avoid this is to use synthetic motor oil. Using synthetic oil rather than conventional motor oil can reduce stress on engine components and help keep your car starting in cold weather. Using synthetic motor oil, you may use the same weight of motor oil in both the summer and winter months. Synthetic oil flows better, no matter the weight, and flows well even in very cold weather. Next let’s check your antifreeze. Make sure it is ready to stand up to cold temperatures. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people with just water in their radiator end up with busted hoses and radiators due to freezing temperatures. Also check your hoses and belts. If they are already to the worn stage it is a good idea to replace them before it gets very cold. Old belts and hoses can suffer structure damage and failure in freezing temperatures. Remember to be sure to wear those work gloves! If you have a set of snow tires remember to get them swapped out, or grab your cables or chains in time for the first snowfall. It’s no fun waking up to the first snow on the ground and not being ready to head out. Check your battery and terminals. Winter is the most common time for a car battery to fail. Have your battery tested to make sure it can handle a load properly and isn’t creeping into old age territory. Make sure the terminals are clean and that your battery cables have an excellent connection. Check your brakes and brake fluid. Make sure everything is in excellent working condition. Stopping properly on snow and ice is very important. Make sure that your heater and defrost system work properly. It is also a good idea to keep an ice scraper in the car just in case the car has been sitting out in the elements for a while. Something else to remember if you live in an area that sees snow and of course snow removal services… the salt they use to de-ice the roads can do damage to your paint if left un-attended for long periods of time. Make sure you wash the salt and other chemicals they might use off regularly. Also, don’t forget to check that emergency roadside kit in the trunk to make sure it is up to snuff…a first aid kit, flashlight, fire extinguisher, and hazard triangles or road flairs should always be in your car but make sure you add a windshield scraper, blanket or warm clothing, a small folding shovel, and some chemical handwarmers. You DO have an emergency roadside kit in the trunk don’t you? (smile) I’m an animal lover but that bag of kitty liter in my trunk isn’t for Fluffy. Kitty litter is a great way to provide extra traction if you get stuck in the snow. Well, I hope these tips make it a little easier to get your car ready to hit the road this winter. While you’re out, don’t forget the most important tip of all when driving around in snowy or icy conditions... drive a little bit more cautiously and remember your Boy Scout training…Always be prepared! Thanks for the question John! For eHow’s Auto Center, I’m Chris Duke. Here’s to helping keep your car running like new!