Due to variables such as snow and ice on the road, winter driving conditions can be dangerous. While being prepared for winter driving is essential, your car must also be capable. Make sure your automobile is ready for winter driving conditions before the season starts by following the guidelines below.
Winterizing your vehicle is necessary if you want to save money. Investing in proper fluids, new brakes, and wipers, and other minor upgrades now can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars later. And if proper winter car preparation prevents a breakdown or perhaps an accident, every penny and work you invest now will be well worth it.
Winter Checklist for Vehicles
·Examine your tires for signs of wear
Check for tread wear and rotate your tires at every oil change when getting your car ready for the winter. Examine your tire’s tread with the “Penny Test.” You may do this by placing a penny into your tire’s tread groove. Place the penny in the tread so that the top of Lincoln’s head is no longer visible. With Lincoln’s head facing you if his entire head is visible while in the groove, it’s time to replace your tires.
·Get yourself a set of winter tires
Because tires are crucial for driving navigation and safety, you should invest in a set that can firmly bind your vehicle to the ground and prevent sliding. According to Woody Rogers, product information officer at Tire Rack, high-tech safety features placed into an automobile will be rendered useless without winter tires.
Winter-season tires provide superior control, shorter stopping distances, and more traction to get up that steep hill or push through snow, chew through slushy conditions, or grip cold, wet roadways, keeping you safe.
·Service Your Battery
Winter is the deadliest enemy of your car battery. Cold air can significantly impair the battery’s ability to generate power in the dead of winter. As a result, in cold weather, hard starts are more prevalent. When the temperature dips below freezing, a fully charged battery loses half of its energy. Similarly, you’ll probably use the heater and defroster, putting additional demand on the battery.
Finally, if the battery’s power has been diminished, you may experience serious issues, and your car may even fail to start.
·Set Up Your Winter Wipers
These have a rubber coating that prevents ice from forming on the blades. Just remember to take them down when spring arrives. Winter wipers are heavier than regular wipers; thus, leaving them on all the time puts more strain on the wiper motor.
Consider having a unique winter emergency kit or adding goods that can be useful in cold or snowy conditions to the emergency road kit you should already carry in your car. A shovel, gloves, boots, an ice scraper, and sand or kitty litter are some of the winter essentials you should have in your bag (for traction on slippery roads).
Winter weather can pose a variety of driving risks, and the cold can also have an impact on your car. On the other hand, you and your vehicle may be prepared for the colder months with little planning and preventive maintenance.
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