Three Essential Winter Automotive Maintenance Tasks
The winter months bring extreme weather conditions with them, and your vehicle can be easily negatively affected by the sudden freezing temperatures, heavy snowfall, and exposure to moisture and salt. In order to ensure that your vehicle continues to operate as efficiently and effectively as possible, there are a few simple maintenance tasks that you should perform before the first snowflake falls.
Battery Servicing
The first thing that you should do to prepare your car for the winter months is have your battery examined by a professional mechanic and charged to capacity. Low temperatures can increase the rate at which your battery loses its charge, so it's a good idea to ensure that it is completely charged before you find yourself with a car that won't start on the side of the road. If your battery is particularly old or is exhibiting signs of damage, you may also want to consider replacing it entirely instead of charging it. In either case, be sure to keep jumper cables in your vehicle to ensure that a lost charge won't leave you stranded.
Tire Pressure
Your vehicle's tires are the only part of your vehicle that are in contact with the road, and thus they will take the brunt of winter's wrath. Cold air can reduce the air pressure within your tires, increasing the amount of surface area that is in contact with the road. Not only will this increase the amount of wear and tear that your tires experience, it will also have a significant impact on your vehicle's fuel efficiency, acceleration and top speed. In order to prevent this from happening, you should check the air pressure of your tires and inflate them to the recommended pressure (which is printed on the sidewall of your tires). Keep in mind that in the rare case that your tire is overinflated, you should also adjust the pressure as needed, as higher than recommended pressures can increase the risk of a blowout occurring.
Fluids
Finally, another important maintenance task that you should complete on your vehicle to prepare for the onset of the winter is to have a holistic examination of your fluids done. For your engine's oil supply, this means replacing it with a specially formulated winter oil that will not thicken with lower temperatures, ensuring proper lubrication of all of your engine's moving parts. You should also ensure that your coolant levels are at optimal levels to prevent freezing in your engine (and while you're at it, inspect your brake and transmission fluid – while not particular affected by cold temperatures, it's best to do a checkup to ensure that there are no underlying issues which can make driving in the snow even more hazardous).
Reach out to a place like Oakley's Garage & Towing for more info.
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