Winter can be hard on your car on snow-covered roads due to low tire pressure, frozen fuel lines, and damage from road salt
Here are a few maintenance tips to help avoid long-term damage:
- Replace standard tires with winter ones. Winter tires should be purchased if you live in an area where temperatures frequently fall below 45 degrees, snow or not. They were designed to help you turn or stop on icy pavement with greater traction.
- Weekly, check the tire pressure. Driving on tires that aren’t properly inflated can lead to premature tire wear and loss of traction on icy or slippery surfaces. Every 10 degrees that the temperature drops, your tires lose 1 pound of pressure.
- Keep half of your fuel tank full. If you find yourself stranded in the snow and need to wait for help, it’s a good idea to keep at least half a tank of gas in your vehicle during the winter. Plan ahead for gas stops on longer road trips.
- Add a layer of protection. A layer of polymer wax can protect against road salt, grime, snow, sleet, and other contaminants. After winter storms, combine that with high-pressure car washes to remove buildup from hard-to-reach areas like wheels, wheel wells, and underbody.
- Guard the wipers on your windshield. Keep the wipers raised when parking outside to keep them from freezing to the windshield. Never use your windshield wipers to remove ice, snow, or frost; Instead, use an ice scraper.
In the event you get stranded, Wrenchtec recommends a few items to keep in your vehicle.
- Clothing: Make sure you have extra warm clothing in your car: hats, gloves, scarves, hand and foot warmers, thick socks and a blanket.
- Cell phone: Stay connected.
- Flash light: Add a flashlight with extra batteries to your kit.
- Stay healthy: Grab some bottled water and other snacks. Make sure you have any medications you might need, along with a first-aid kit.
- Other necessities: Jumper cables are a good addition to your kit. A small camping shovel and extra ice scraper can also be lifesavers in snowy conditions.
- You might also consider… flares or a whistle, and an extra phone charger.
Follow these tips before you go anywhere in winter conditions.
You can also stop by Wrenchtec for a complimentary car battery, tires and windshield wiper assessment to ensure your vehicle is winter ready. No-one wants to be stranded in bad weather…
Wrenchtech’s Winter Vehicle Check
If you would like to make an appointment for a full winter vehicle check you can schedule an online appointment here:
https://www.wrenchtec.com/schedule-service/