4 Tips to Winterizing Your Car

With only a few short weeks left until the winter season hits us, now is the time to start getting your car ready for the cold months ahead.

Here are some tasks you should accomplish so your car can withstand the frigid temperatures.

Check the Battery

The last thing you want is to get stranded on the road when it’s freezing outside. To avoid this, make sure your battery is full of juice before you take your new car out for a spin.

Replace Your Coolant With Anti-Freeze

The coolant in your radiator is meant to keep the engine cool when it’s hot outside. But in the winter, this fluid can freeze, which is why you need to replace the coolant with “antifreeze” to avid the liquid getting frozen in the engine block.

Bring the Right Items Along

There are a few items that your car will need in the winter that it didn’t necessarily make use of in the summer. These include an ice scraper, flashlight with fresh batteries, jumper cables, a warm blanket, and a pair of gloves.

Use Winter Tires

Don’t underestimate how important it is to have tires that can really grip the road in icy and snowy conditions. Tires are rated for Summer, Winter and All-Season. Be sure that the tires you have on your vehicle are right for the weather conditions in your area.

Remember that…

If it rains: You must increase the safety distance with the vehicle that precedes you, at least 50% and reduce the speed. Turn on the short-range lights and connect the air conditioning system. Acts on the steering or pedals more smoothly than normal.

If there is fog: Do the same as if it were raining but, in addition, reduce the speed even more, connect the fog lamps and increase the safety distance up to twice as much as in rain. Do not connect the long ones – except for the reflection of the light on the fog. If the fog is very dense, guide yourself through the white lines of the road.

If it snows: Do the same as in the case of fog, but do not exceed 40 km/h, avoid stepping on the brake, accelerate very gently and turn the direction with extreme delicacy.