Now that the temperature has started to drop, it is going to get colder rather fast. It is important to make sure your car is ready for the cold weather. If you neglect your car during the change of seasons, there is a significant risk that you will run into problems, especially with older cars. Here are a few things you need to take care of to be ready for winter.
Change your oil – this is good advice all year. You should have a sticker on the inside of your windshield saying when your car is ready for an oil change. Most newer cars are also good at letting you know when you are ready for an oil change. If you see a dashboard light that says “maintenance required,” your car is telling you to change your oil. If you don’t have a light, but you can’t remember when you last changed your oil, you should get it done now.
Check your Coolant (or Antifreeze) levels – If your coolant levels are low, or you added water to your radiator, you should make sure to add more coolant to make sure your engine continues to run at the appropriate temperature.
Check your Battery – Your car requires more current to start in cold weather, so your battery needs to be strong enough to handle the load. If you battery is too old, it won’t generate enough power to start on colder winter days. This is a good time of the year to get a new battery.
Check your Washer Fluid and your Windshield Wipers – You need to be able to see to drive. If your wipers are old, they won’t clean the windshield, but rather make matter worse. This can be extremely dangerous when you turn your wipers on while you are driving.
Check your defroster and your heater – A defroster and heater are vital pieces of equipment to have in the winter. Just like bad wipers, you can’t see out of your windows, you can’t drive and if your windows fog while driving you can be in serious trouble.
Check your tires – Just like an oil change, this is a bit of advice that works in any weather. Tires are not only about creating traction to move your vehicle, they are also necessary to keep you safe. If you have old tires with worn tread, you are at a significantly higher risk of having an accident since old tires cannot grip the road very well, especially in wet and slippery conditions.
Keep your gas tank filled – You should never let your gas tank get too low. If the gas light comes on, you have waited far too long. Once your tank gets down below half, you should stop to fill your tank. This is vital in winter. Condensation can form in tanks that are empty or near empty. If the water from the condensation gets drips and gets into your fuel lines you can be in a lot of trouble. Water in the fuel line can freeze and block the flow of gas to your engine. Beside cause your car to stall, it can also cause all sorts of issues for your engine.
Keep you car clean – What’s the point of cleaning your car in the winter? It is probably more important to keep your car clean in the winter to protect your car from the harmful effects of snow and salt. Once rust starts to appear on a car, it is very difficult to stop the spread.
Also remember that we are a New York State Licensed Inspection Station and we take that responsibility seriously. We aren’t going to let an unsafe car pass inspection. Dangerous cars are at a greater risk of causing an accident with serious injuries, so when we inspect your car, you will know we are doing everything we can to keep you and those around you safe.
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