It is the time of the year to start thinking about winter weather and preparing your vehicle for winter. While safety is an important consideration all year long, there are certainly some auto maintenance jobs and safety checks that are specific to chilled air and winter driving that are a good idea to check into before we're knee deep in the season.
Check Your Antifreeze
Your antifreeze (the juice that goes in your radiator) is an essential part of your car's winter protection. Your car contains a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze. Make sure the level is full and the mixture is close to 50/50.
Inspect Your Tires
Winter is not the time to get cheap about your tires, so take the time to check the tread depth. The National Highway Transportation Safety Board says you need at least 2/32" of depth to be safe. It's been my experience, especially in winter weather, that anything less than 4/32" (1/8") be replaced soon. The old penny test is as reliable as anything to find out whether your treads are ready for winter action. Also, be sure to check your tire pressure. Believe it or not, they lose a little pressure when it gets cold, so pump 'em up.
- Replace Your Wipers: Wipers? What do your windshield wipers have to do with winter weather? Two things. First, anything falling from the sky is going to end up on your windshield, and the task of clearing it falls on your wipers. Second, in areas that see snowfall in the winter, you're also driving through that soupy muck that's left on the road once the highway department does their thing. This muck includes a lot of sand and salt, both of which end up on your windshield. It takes wipers that are in top shape to keep your windshield clean and safe.
- Check your windshield washer fluid: You'll be using lots of washer fluid as you try to keep your windshield sparkly. A mile stuck behind an 18-wheeler will have your windshield looking like a Desert Humvee if you're low on washer fluid. *Tip: Don't fill your washer fluid reservoir with anything except washer fluid, it won't freeze!
- Clean your battery posts: Starting problems are a bummer any time of year. Regularly treating your battery to a cleaning can keep electrical gremlins at bay. Also be sure to have your battery tested for the winter time weather. You don't want to go out on the first cold morning and find your battery has died with the cold weather.
- Inspect your brakes: Brakes are not a good area to cut corners. Be sure your brakes have enough meat left to get you through the season.
