7 Tips for Keeping Your Car in Good Condition During Winter

As soon as the winter rolls in, your car must be given the extra care it deserves to deal with the rough weather conditions. Unfortunately, while heavy snow may put a smile on some people's faces, it can do more harm to your vehicle than good.

Between draining your battery and affecting your tire pressure, your car is at more risk during the winter than at any other time of the year.

To get you and your car ready for this upcoming winter season, we've written this guide with some useful tips to show you how to keep your vehicle in good condition during winter.

Regularly Check Your Battery

Even if your car battery is in good condition, it can still be affected during harsh winter conditions. Since the heat and cold battle to get a chemical reaction out of your battery, this can mess with it and cause power loss and a slow chemical reaction.

Before winter comes, you must test your battery and see if it's showing any signs of dying out. It's better to get a replacement in advance rather than wait for winter because this is a popular time for battery orders since a lot of people have these issues.

Keep an Eye on Your Tire Pressure

Low temperatures heavily impact the pressure of the tires on your car. It's well documented that when the temperature drops by 50°F, tire pressure on cars drops with it, too, to around 0.07 to 0.14 bars or 1 to 2 pounds per square inch.

While you might be saying to yourself that's not much, but with tires that already have low pressure, this can be detrimental to them. Along with that, those who live at high elevations, their tires are already affected by the altitude.

Throughout winter, you need to make sure that your tires are inflated properly and checked regularly. If they're not, you could end up in an accident or face yourself with a hefty towing bill.

Purchase a Winter Equipment Kit

You never know when it might snow, so it's better to be prepared with a winter equipment kit. There's no harm in having some crafty tools that can save you a lot of hassle if you ever find yourself in some unexpected situations.

Winter equipment kits are sold at almost every automotive store as soon as summer comes to a close. They usually include tools like ice scrapers, jump leads, and antifreeze. While it's hard to find one with absolutely everything you need, you'll be able to have some essentials on hand. You can even add your own bits to it, too, like a jacket with gloves and a hat, a snow brush, a tow rope, flares, and much more.

Have a Look at Your Fluids

Your fluids, like oil and coolant, need to be checked before the winter weather conditions come knocking.

You must check the oil to see if it's dirty and change it if necessary. As for the coolant, you should consider flushing it regardless of its state and then refilling it so you know your engine will be safe during the dramatic temperature drops.

One tip we can give you is to avoid leaving your fuel tank too low, or else you run the risk of it filling up with lots of moisture, which will ruin your fuel pump if you're not careful.

See How Your Lights Are Doing

Drivers use their car lights more frequently throughout winter than any other season in the year. Put your taillights, headlights, and indicators through a little test before you set off every day so you can ensure your safety and every other driver's safety on the roads.

Just in case one of your lights blows unexpectedly when you're out on the roads, it's best to have some spares in your boot so you can change them if you need to. While you don't have to be an expert at changing them, it won't hurt to watch a couple of YouTube videos on how to do it in advance.

Change Your Wipers

Your wipers should always be changed regularly, winter or not. However, it's extremely important that it's done for winter because you don't want to have your visibility and view infringed by a downpour of snow.

Wipers go through a lot of wear and tear because you must use them whenever you want to clear your windscreen. If you live in an area prone to frequent bad weather, you'll be using your wipers much more than someone based in a city where the sun is always shining. Over time, this will deplete them, and they'll stop doing the job they're meant to do.

Compared to other parts for a car, wipers aren't that expensive, so you can easily replace them for an affordable price. For the sake of a couple of dollars, it's better than having a major accident because you couldn't see out the window and causing serious damage to your vehicle.

Test Your Heating System

The heating system in your car is a lifeline during cold temperatures. It keeps you warm when you're inside and your engine cool at all times, and it is your go-to solution whenever your windows fog up, which is very often during winter.

You can easily check the heating system on your own without the help of a mechanic. All you have to do is turn up the heating and fans up full-blast to see what the output is like. If you notice that it's weak, it might be a good idea to get it looked at by a professional.

Prepare Your Car for the Winter Before It's Too Late!

Winter is a massive hindrance to car owners, but it's unavoidable. However, if you follow these tips in this guide, you'll be one step ahead and drastically decrease the chance of you running into any hassle.

Don't underestimate the power of Mother Nature; she'll get you and your car one way or another if you're not prepared.