Not all motorists realize that their car generally needs to be prepared in any way for winter. This is frankly surprising, because it is they who, in the end, very often face a number of costly problems that could have been avoided in advance with much less investment. But what can I say: many car owners change tires from summer to winter even when it is actively snowing outside the window, and the roads turn into a real skating rink. The onset of winter is always a surprise for many, although the schedule for lowering temperatures from year to year is usually the same.
Be sure to change your tires from summer to winter
At first it seems that this is an axiom. But in fact, it turns out that not everyone thinks about this manipulation. Moreover, on the road, there are often those who do not understand at all why change summer tires to winter ones. There are especially many of them in regions with relatively high temperatures and a minimum of precipitation. They argue their position by the fact that there is no ice or snow on the roads, therefore it makes little sense to change shoes. Apparently, they do not know that summer rubber loses its properties at temperatures below + 7 ° C – it “dubs” and adheres very poorly to the road surface. Riding in such conditions is extremely risky both for your life and for the health of those around you.
Tidy up the damage on all windows
Partial restoration of car glass is a much more affordable measure in financial terms than their further replacement. It’s a pity that not everyone thinks about it – especially on the eve of frost. A windshield with a small crack is usually not changed – it does not particularly interfere with driving. However, it is important to understand that the problem of a modest size, if not dealt with, can grow many times over. Liquid that will inevitably enter the crack will expand, increasing the degree of damage to the glass. To prevent this from happening, the damage is glued with a special glue. As practice shows, some craftsmen can do it so well that the damage will not even be visible.
Touch up paint flaws
In the overwhelming majority of domestic regions, winter is characterized by an increased amount of precipitation. As you know, moisture does not have the most positive effect on unprotected metal, therefore, it is very important, as in the case of glass, at least to put the entire paintwork in order on its own. This usually does not apply only to the lucky ones whose cars are galvanized – these usually do not corrode. However, even for them it is best to sketch all the chips with special “pencils”. They are matched to the body color and are sold very inexpensively in the vast majority of car stores.
Check the wiper blades
Another important point in the external preparation of the car is the replacement of the wiper blades if they have already become unusable. As noted above, in winter there is usually much more rainfall, therefore, you will have to use this very tool, which in the common people is called janitors, more often. At the same time, in the cold season, the rubber part of the brushes usually becomes tanned, so worn-out ones behave noticeably worse than in a warm one. There are two important prerequisites for replacing wipers: annoying sound during use, and gaps in windshield wiping. It is better to check this in advance so as not to return to this question after the fact.
Lubricate the seals with silicone
Rubber seals on car doors and boot lids are extremely sensitive to temperature extremes. During the winter season, the heating system usually operates continuously in the cabin, and it is very cold outside. Because of this, the properties of rubber can be violated, and the seals no longer adequately cope with their duties – they can even break. To prevent this from happening, they need to be regularly treated with silicone grease. It will make the rubber more elastic and also protect it from moisture. In the winter season, it is advisable to carefully carry out such processing after each wash.
Pour out the water from the washer and fill in the special fluid
In the warm season, many people pour ordinary or distilled water into the washer tank – it is extremely rare for those who spend on summer special fluid. By and large, as practice shows, there is nothing particularly critical in this. However, in winter everything turns upside down. And the point here is not even that ordinary water will instantly freeze on the windshield when you try to use the washer. Another big problem is that it can freeze in the tank itself, as well as in all the connecting pipes. As a result, using the washer at the moment when you need it most will not work. The solution is to pour out all the water in advance directly through the windshield cleaning system and fill in the special fluid according to the temperature regime.
Change engine oil early
At low temperatures, the oil in the engine thickens and lubricates all its components worse. This is especially true for not the freshest, before replacing which there are only a couple of thousand kilometers left. That is why, during the preparation of the car for winter, it is highly desirable, among other things, to change the oil. There are tips on the net for using oils with a lower viscosity in the winter season. However, a simple use of fresh engine oil, as specified by the manufacturer, will suffice. This will help preserve engine life and avoid potential problems in the future.
Diagnose the chassis
Rubber parts do not react in the most positive way to intense temperature changes. During operation, the car inevitably heats up, increasing the temperature of the same rubber-metal hinges (silent blocks), and when idle, the whole structure cools down systematically. The properties of rubber are disturbed, so it can tan, dry out and crumble. All this is especially critical for parts whose resource is almost exhausted. That is why, before the winter season, it is extremely important to diagnose the running gear of the car and replace all the parts that are already over.
Check battery health
The battery is another component of the car that can suddenly fail at low temperatures. In the warm season, it may be imperceptible that this node has already exhausted its resource. The engine starts from half a turn, electric window and seat heaters are not used at all. However, as the temperature drops, the load on the battery increases steadily. At the same time, his ability to give energy at the proper voltage decreases. All this leads to the fact that the engine at one “fine” moment may not start corny. However, this can be avoided by replacing the worn-out “battery” with a new one in advance.
Test the heating-air conditioning system
When preparing your car for winter, it is extremely important to check its heating. To do this, you need to turn on the air conditioning system for heating and see how successfully it copes with its task. Hot air should blow intensively from the deflectors. If its temperature is lower than expected, the problem may be in air locks or malfunctioning of the corresponding dampers. If the air speed is too low, you need to “dig” towards the air filter, which could get clogged with dust in the summer, as well as the health of the fans.
Adjust the headlights low and high
In the winter season, the length of daylight hours inevitably decreases, and you have to drive with the headlights on more and more often. That is why it is also important to adjust the headlights when preparing the car for winter. It is carried out at many service stations using a special device – a regloscope. It is especially important to pay attention to this procedure if the headlights were replaced on the car after an accident or other incident. The adjustment process is rarely included in the range of replacement services, so this procedure is best done separately in advance.
Get the winter tools you need
In the end, before winter, I highly recommend acquiring all the tools you need for this time of year. A plastic ice scraper is a must, which comes in handy for cleaning your windshield. A brush with a long handle, which will help remove snow from the roof of the car, as well as glass, also does not hurt. Both of these tools are often one combined tool. Moreover, if a lot of snow falls in your area, you can also get a shovel, which will help to dig the car out of the snowdrift, as well as free the wheels if the car is loaded.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
