Winterizing Your Car: Fact and Fiction

Winterizing your car is a vital part of maintaining it properly—particularly for those living in an area where the season is particularly severe. For many automobile owners, however, the simple steps necessary to prepare your car to withstand the elements may be foreign. Proper winterizing procedures are not taught as often as they should be—and some of the most common winterizing tips are really just myths.

So here's a quick rundown of the most important vehicle winterizing steps. Actually, the best thing you can do is simply come prepared for any auto-related issue that should arise. One good precaution is to keep an emergency kit handy in the backseat or trunk of your automobile. At the very least, keep extra containers of engine oil, coolant, and washer fluid handy in case you run out. An ice scraper, either stashed in the trunk or in the glove box, is vital. And it never hurts to also have a flashlight on hand; the winter brings shorter hours of daylight, and you don't want to be caught with emergency maintenance issues in the dark.

In keeping with the theme of preparedness, it never hurts to check the windshield wipers and the wiper fluid. In fact, just checking them may not be enough—you may wish to go ahead and simply replace them. This will ensure that you don't get caught in a particularly nasty snowstorm with no way of keeping your field of vision clear.

And of course, checking to ensure that all of your necessary, winter-related systems work is also a smart move. Star with your 4-wheel drive, assuming you have one; just make sure it works properly, and that you have winter tires on your vehicle if at all possible. After that, check the heating and defrosting systems in your car. Again, you simply don't want to run the risk of getting trapped in a nasty situation without these systems working properly.

Here's another important tip to remember—and not necessarily one that any auto owner wants to hear! Unpleasant though it may be, it's always preferable to keep your gas tank as full as possible. Some drivers like to let their tank get down so low that they're basically just running on fumes, and only then do they fill up, but this can actually cause major problems for your automobile, especially in the winter. A low tank means condensation can form inside your gas tank, which could cause serious maintenance issues down the road.

And of course, checking all the necessary engine fluids is utterly essential. Check your oil, but also ensure that you are using the recommended oil viscosity; you can find this information in the owner's manual of your vehicle. In essence, simply use the new season as an opportunity to ensure that everything in your car is fully functional and up to date, and that you're prepared to handle any weather-related situation that should arise.

Comments? Questions? Email Here

© HowtoAdvice.com

How to Advice .com