4 Important Tips For Getting Your Vehicle Ready For Winter

Posted on: 17 September 2014

Being safe on the road means more than just having adequate auto insurance. It starts by preparing for the colder months of the year and thinking ahead to driving in icy conditions. Here are four important tips for getting your vehicle ready for winter.

Make Sure Your Vehicle is Road Ready

Many auto mechanics would agree that winter is a car's worst enemy. Make sure your vehicle is road ready by taking a few precautions in the late-Fall.

  • Check your tire pressure. This ensures you get the maximum amount of traction while driving on ice and snow.
  • Find out if you need to replace your battery with one designed for cold weather. Few things are worse than walking out to your car on a bone-chilling morning and finding out it will not start.
  • Check the level of antifreeze in your vehicle. If you are using a mixture of antifreeze and water together, this can cause ice in your radiator and potentially damage your vehicle.

Keep a Box of Necessities Handy

Having a box of emergency supplies in your vehicle in case of an accident is always a good idea. However, it is absolutely essential during the winter months. Include items such as road flairs, pre-packaged hand warmers, matches (or a lighter,) and extra food and water. Be sure to have a separate section for an ice scraper and deicer fluid. A special area for important paperwork, such as your auto insurance card and registration, is also important.

(As a side note, always keep two ice scrapers on hand—one in your car and a miniature one in an easily accessible place. There is nothing worse than being stranded somewhere because your ice scraper is inside your vehicle, and your door handles are frozen.)

Get an Oil Change

Proper maintenance on your vehicle is essential to keep it running for a long time to come, but having your oil changed prior to winter is important to making sure it lasts through the season. Most mechanics will know whether or not your vehicle needs a special type of oil for the type of car and typical winter weather in your area.

Review Your Auto Insurance Coverage

Ice and snow happen, but life still goes on. This leads to plenty of wrecks and pavement slides during tough weather. Review your insurance coverage prior to the season to ensure you are adequately covered should a minor accident happen. If you do not have roadside assistance, consider adding it in case of a needed jumpstart or tow.

While there are many more steps to fully winterizing your car for the season, these four will ensure your are ready to hit the road when the weather turns cold. Look at more info here.

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