Tips for Winterizing Your Car

Tips for preparing your car for the winter months.

1: Change your oil and filter with the proper viscosity oil and oem oil filter. Oil tends to thicken and sludge when it gets old, and when it’s gets cold out, the thicker oil will actually cause your starter to work harder. We have seen in the shop cars with neglected oil changes get towed in for no start, the battery could not turn the engine over fast enough when cold, and the engines would flood. A simple oil change and battery charge and the cars would start.
Now is the time to check over your car for anything else that might need attention, like belts, battery, tires etc. Use this handy check list, same one we use at our shop so we don't leave out anything.

2: Battery. Cold weather snaps kill batteries. Any extreme in weather be it hot or cold has an adverse effect on batteries. Now is the time to clean your posts. If your battery is mounted in the engine compartment, hot water with a little baking soda does a good job. if it is in the trunk or under a seat most times the terminals will stay clean.
If you can check the fluid level, add water only if needed.
If your battery is more than 3 years old have it checked by a professional repair shop.
Now is the time to check to make sure your battery is good, not in a middle of a cold parking lot.
WEAR PROTECTIVE GLOVES AND SAFETY GLASSES WHEN WORKING ON OR NEAR A BATTERY AT ALL TIMES.

3: Check tire pressures, including the spare. The air pressure in your tires has likely dropped as the weather has gotten colder, so it’s important to see where things stand now. (You can generally expect that you’ll lose 1 pound per square inch whenever the temperature drops by 10 degrees Fahrenheit.). Your owner’s manual, a sticker in the drivers door pillar, gas flap door or under the hood will tell you what your target tire pressure should be.

4. Belts and hoses. When you do your oil change, make sure the belts and hoses get checked for wear and tear — even if you’re driving a modern car. Cold weather can do a number on belts and hoses, and leave you stranded.
Serpentine belts have more than six cracks per inch its time to change.
V belts, cracks deeper than 3/8 inch, time for new.
Hoses are harder to check, older cars the hose will start to show cracks on the outside, but newer hoses do not show any cracks on the OUTSIDE, they crack on the inside. Rule of thumb, change hoses during major cooling system repairs or every 100,000 miles on 90’s and newer cars.

5: Wiper blades and lights. See and be seen. When’s the last time you replaced your windshield wiper blades? They usually work effectively for about one year, so be sure to invest in some new ones if you’re due. Top up washer fluid with windshield washer antifreeze.
Lights: days are getting shorter, you will be needing you lights more. And make sure your taillights work, that way people can see you, and it is one less reason to be pulled over.

6: Antifreeze and fluids. Aim for having a 50-50 mix of antifreeze (coolant) and water inside your radiator. This will prevent the mixture from freezing even at ridiculously cold temperatures. It’s easy to check the status of the mixture with an inexpensive antifreeze tester, which you can pick up at any auto parts store. If the mixture is off, your cooling system should be drained and refilled or flushed. Be sure you’re equipped to dispose of your old antifreeze properly if you do this job yourself. It can’t just be poured down the drain.

7: All other fluids. Make sure to check and top off all fluids under your hood, Power steering, brake fluid, washer fluid, transmission fluid level, oil level etc. manual transmission and differential fluid level (if applicable) should also be checked.

8: 4 wheel drive. If equipped, now is the time to make sure it works. Even if it is just a full time 4 wheel drive with a low range selection like the Mercedes Benz ML’s. follow your owners manuals for directions.

9: Check Your Defrosting and Heating Units
When our windshields fog up in the winter, it's because moisture from inside the car condenses on the glass and makes it very difficult to see. Water vapor coming in from an open window -- or even from your own breathing -- can fog up a window. Defrosters solve this problem by blowing warm, dry air over the glass. If you're sure your defroster unit is functioning properly but there's still a problem with too much fogging, have your car checked for air leaks around the doors and windows bringing in extra moisture.

10: Keep Your Fuel Tank Full
Do you ever let your gas tank run on fumes until the very last moment, only to fill it up with about $15 worth of gas? Although it's never a great idea to do this any time of the year because you run the risk of getting stranded, the damage you might inflict on your car with a near-empty tank during winter is much worse. Cold and constantly shifting temperatures can cause condensation to form on the walls of a gas tank , and soon water will drip down and into the gas. It will eventually sink to the bottom, since water is heavier than gas, which is bad news -- if water finds its way into the fuel lines, it will freeze up, blocking any flow of gas to the engine.

10: Prepare an emergency kit. Store this stuff in your trunk during the winter months, especially if a road trip is in your future

    * a blanket
    * extra boots and gloves
    * an extra set of warm clothes
    * extra water and food, including hard candies
    * an ice scraper
    * a small shovel
    * a flashlight
    * windshield washer fluid
    * windshield wipers
    * flares
    * jumper cables
    * a tool kit
    * tire chains
    * a tire gauge
    * a spare tire with air in it
    * tire-changing equipment
    * a first-aid kit
    * paper towels
    * a bag of abrasive material such as sand, salt or non-clumping kitty litter, which can provide additional traction if a tire gets stuck in snow.
    * Also, keep the gas tank as full as you can to prevent the gas lines from freezing.

If you need any help in the repair and maintenance of your car, do not hesitate to ask us

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