The winter season can be brutal on your vehicle, with harsh weather conditions like freezing temperatures, snow, and ice taking a toll. However, by winterizing your car, you can avoid costly repairs, breakdowns, and accidents. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through a 14-step checklist to ensure your car is ready to tackle even the harshest winter conditions.
Ultimate 14-Step Checklist to Winterize Your Car
1) Check Your Tyre Tread
Worn tyres and winter driving are a dangerous combination, increasing your stopping distance and decreasing stability on wet roads. Experts recommend replacing tyres when the tread depth reaches 4/32 inches or less. Use an inexpensive tyre tread depth gauge to check the tread depth at the center and outer edges of each tyre.
2) Test Your Car Battery
Cold weather can put extra strain on your car battery, making it essential to check its condition before winter sets in. Use a computerized battery tester to check the battery’s voltage, internal resistance, and conductance. This will give you a good idea of its overall condition and alert you if it needs to be replaced.
3) Clean Battery Terminals
Corrosion buildup on battery terminals can prevent your charging system from properly recharging your battery, leading to hard starting problems. Disconnect the negative cable first, then the positive cable, and clean the terminals using a battery cleaning tool or wire brush.
4) Protect Your Battery Terminals
After cleaning the battery terminals, apply a battery terminal protectant spray to reduce future corrosion buildup.
5) Lubricate Window Tracks
Freezing water in window tracks can create drag when opening or closing windows, potentially damaging the window regulator cables. Lubricate the window tracks with spray silicone or dry Teflon spray lubricant to prevent this issue.
6) Lube Weather Stripping
If water seeps between your door and weather stripping and freezes, you could find yourself frozen out of your car or truck. Coat the weather stripping and the mating door surfaces with spray silicone to prevent water from freezing.
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7) Lube Your Door Locks
Neglecting door and trunk lock cylinders can lead to corrosion, making it impossible to use your key. Lubricate them with graphite lock lubricant or dry Teflon spray lube to ensure smooth operation.
8) Lube Latches and Hinges
Sticking hood latches can be a major inconvenience, especially when your car won’t start. Lubricate the latch mechanism with spray lithium grease to prevent corrosion and ensure hassle-free operation.
9) Consider Winter Tyres
Winter tyres, also known as snow tyres, provide significantly better traction on snow and ice compared to all-season tyres. They can help you stop faster, turn better, and potentially prevent accidents, making them a worthwhile investment for winter driving safety.
10) Check Your Coolant
Engine coolant protects your engine from freezing and cracking, but it also contains anti-corrosive additives and water-pump lubricants. Use a coolant tester and digital multimeter to check the freeze protection level and the condition of the additives.
11) Switch to Winter Wiper Blades
Ordinary wiper blades can become packed with snow, causing streaking or missed spots on your windshield. Winter wiper blades feature a rubber boot that encloses the entire blade, preventing ice and snow buildup for better visibility.
12) Check and Replace Your Hood Lifts
If the gas lift cylinders that keep your hood open are struggling when it’s warm, they’ll likely quit working in freezing temperatures. Replace them in pairs to ensure proper operation.
13) Replace the Cabin Air Filter
A clogged cabin air filter can reduce airflow through your car’s heater, stressing the blower motor and potentially leading to costly repairs. Replace the cabin air filter before the heating and cooling season for optimal performance.
14) Assemble a Winter Survival Kit
In case of a breakdown or emergency, it’s essential to have a winter survival kit in your car. This should include items like a candle-powered heater, flashlight, cellphone charger, compact tyre inflator, jumper cables, shovel, Fix-A-Flat, first aid kit, warm clothing, and more.
Wrapping up: Checklist to Winterize Your Car
By following this 14-step checklist, you can winterize your car and ensure it’s ready to tackle the challenges of the winter season. Regular maintenance and preparedness can help you avoid costly repairs, breakdowns, and accidents, keeping you safe and on the road all winter long.
