How to get your car ready for winter

After a long, hot summer, you’re probably ready for cooler temperatures, but is your car?

Winter brings with it plenty of dangerous weather conditions that can make driving difficult. There are many precautions you can take to prepare yourself and your vehicle for the incoming winter. Here are a few quick and easy ways to prepare your vehicle for winter.

A few examples of preparing your vehicle would be keeping up with its Maintenance. Maintenance can include many things such as checking  tires for tire pressure, monitoring your brakes, testing  the battery if not used for a while, Changing the oil, checking the cabin air filter, checking belts and hoses, keeping washer fluid full and your rear-window defroster in working order, cleaning your headlights, & inspecting your exhaust system.

Ideally, if the weather gets really bad, you want to stay home and off the roads. However, that isn’t always possible. Here are some more tips for what to do if you’re driving through a winter storm:

·         Keep your gas tank at least half full.

·         Learn winter emergency preparedness.

·         Learn how to drive in winter conditions.

·         Use a brush and a scraper to remove ice/snow from the windshield rather than your wipers. Make sure that your car’s heater is functioning properly and that plenty of warm air is being directed to the windshield when it’s in defrost mode.

·         Water can get into door and trunk locks and then freeze, locking you out of the vehicle. To prevent this, lubricate the locks with a silicone spray or door-lock lubricant. If they’re already frozen, use a lock antifreeze product to thaw them.

·         Pack yourself an emergency kit that stays in your car so you’re prepared in the event of a cold-weather accident: extra blankets, gloves, socks, and matches are all great items to have in your trunk if the worst should happen.

These few tips can go a big way when preparing for a cold winter.