Just like any living thing, climate changes do have effects on cars. And winter time is just the most unfriendly time for them. As cold temperatures make it harder for a car engine to work properly; snow and ice limit traction; and potholes damage wheels and tires. However, today, most vehicles are designed to operate well over a wide range of temperatures, from severe cold to extreme hot, but the fact remains that winter can be tough on cars and you can’t be assured that your car would function properly without some attention to its winter needs! Unless you live in a warm or moderate climate, winterization of your car is necessary. Here are a few steps to winterize your car :

• Make sure the tires are in good condition and if possible, consider using snow tires for winter. The condition of your car’s tires gets critical in cold temperatures, and if they are worn, your car’s braking, acceleration and handling are all negatively impacted while driving on snow-covered or slippery roads. Winter tires are optimized for snow and ice, which would improve traction on slick surfaces as compared to all-season tires.
• Check the tire pressure on a regular basis. This is especially important during the winter. It is very important to keep your car’s tires properly inflated, as this guarantees the best possible contact between the tire and the road. Properly inflated tires will also protect wheel damage, when the car is driven over potholes. Read your owner’s manual to find the correct tire pressures. Use a tire gauge to check the tire pressure.
• As winter arrives, inspect your car’s windshield wipers blades and wiper fluid. As visibility is the key of safe driving in winter, you should replace old wiper blades. The life expectancy of a wiper blade is one year. Along, check the wiper fluid reservoir. A harsh winter storm is the worst possible time to run out of wiper fluid and to discover your blades aren’t performing properly. 
• Check the battery of your car. Have the battery serviced and load-tested in order to check its ability to hold a change of the climate. Very cold temperatures can reduce battery power by up to 50 percent. If your car’s battery is more than four years old, replace it!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 30th, 2008 at 7:42 am and is filed under Maintenance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.