Car Repair: Tips to Winterize Your Car

Winter driving can be tough on your car, which is why it is important to properly winterize your car now to avoid costly car repair problems later. In order to prepare for winter driving most people do the basics, such as putting snow tires on and putting an ice scraper in the glove compartment. But you should also be preparing your car mechanically for the cold winter months ahead

You can start by looking at your windshield. Any small cracks or dings on your window that did not spread during the warm summer months will likely spread rapidly in the colder winter months from thermal shock. This is the best time to have the small ding repaired before it becomes a large crack across the window. If you have already let that small rock chip become a crack you should seriously consider getting it repaired now before it gets worse with the cold weather.

And just as you should be changing your oil every 3,000 miles you should also be changing your engine coolant. Make sure you don’t use the same straight coolant that you may have used in the summer, since it can freeze when it’s not mixed with water. Ideally you should be aiming for a fifty-fifty mix with water.

As long as you are checking fluids, don’t forget to check the steering, brake, radiator and battery fluid levels. You should also make sure your windshield wiper fluid is geared for the freezing cold months ahead, since the fluids intended for summer are not going to be freeze proof. And of course if your windshield wiper blades are old and worn it is a good idea to change them out to ensure your winter driving visibility.

This is also a good time to replace a weak battery that will be weakened even more by the cold weather. The last thing you want to do is have a dead battery that requires frequent jump starts to get going when the weather is less than ideal. And if your battery is unreliable in warm weather, it will only get worse with the upcoming cold.

Finally check to make sure your headlights, brake lights and parking lights are all working. You should also have any questionable breaks examined to make sure you have good stopping power on roads that are going to be anything but good.

If you take the proper precautions now you should be able to count on your car through the tough winter ahead. It will also help you avoid costly car repairs down the road by ensuring your car is ready for the cold days and nights ahead.