Winter is coming! Cold air, the holidays, snow…it’s all fantastic. But for your vehicle, it could be a nightmare. You take care of yourself during the winter, and you should be doing the same with your vehicle. Making sure it’s all wrapped up snug and warm (for your seasonal car). For your everyday car, you need to make sure that it’s ready for whatever winter throws its way.
The first thing you should do is check your battery. When the weather gets very cold, your battery won’t store power as well as in warm weather. At the same time, your engine requires more power from your battery than normal in cold temperatures. This could lead to waking up one cold morning to a vehicle that doesn’t start! Before the nasty cold weather hits, take your vehicle to ArborMotion and have our technicians run a battery load test to see if your current battery needs to be replaced.
Next, change your wiper blades and refill your washer fluid. With all the salt on the roads, your windshield wipers can get a buildup that interferes with their ability to wipe your windshield clean. Having clean new wiper blades with fresh washer fluid makes it easier to wipe away any grime and salt.
Many people have summer and winter tires. Living in Michigan means that at some point we’ll be getting a foot of snow, and most of us need tires we can rely on to get to work or school. Winter tires are made with softer rubber than all-season tires, allowing them to retain flexibility below 45 degrees which is where the all-seasons lose theirs. This means that the winter tires have much better traction and stopping ability than their counterparts. Winter tires really do transform your vehicle, even ones with all-wheel drive. Winter tires have tread patterns on them that are specifically designed to grip in snow and ice so while they won’t magically make your car avoid all slips and slides, they do provide much better traction and stopping ability.
If you chose not to replace your tires with winter tires, make sure to check your tire pressure. Cold weather causes air pressure to drop. When there’s a ten degree drop in the temperature, your tire pressure will drop 1psi. Having your tires inflated properly helps them connect better to the road.
If your vehicle has all-wheel drive, make sure to bring it to ArborMotion to have our technicians make sure that it’s working correctly. This will help you maintain better traction in ice and snow.
Checking your anti-freeze is a big help when it comes to winterizing your car. Anti-freeze makes sure that your coolant stays in great shape. Anti-freeze keeps your radiator from freezing in low temperatures in the winter and from overheating in the summer.
Make sure you top off your windshield washer fluid to prevent a buildup of salt, dirt and grime on your windshield. This is something that you’ll want to check periodically throughout the winter to make sure you don’t run out!
Be sure to stock your vehicle with emergency supplies! You never know when a big storm is going to hit or when black ice will appear. Include blankets, boots, flashlights, jumper cables, roadside flares, non-perishable foods (i.e. granola bars, protein bars), ice scraper, first aid kit, water bottles, shovel and any other items that could come in handy!
Make sure to get your oil changed regularly and to have the technicians at ArborMotion check your belts and hoses. You want everything in your vehicle running in tip-top shape. Our service advisers would be happy to chat with you about winterizing your vehicle. They’ll be happy to help make sure that you and your vehicle stay safe this winter season.
Schedule your appointment online today!
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