During winter it is extremely hard to predict how your car will act, especially if you had to deal with a lot of minor repairs as they will be magnified in the cold weather. It is important to learn how to prepare your car for winter, because if your car is in bad shape, you are not only endangering your own life, but the life of others on the road too. Proper winter etiquette requires that you always do a complete check-up of your car before winter, so that you can notice and neutralize any issues even before it could do any damage.
Check the Engine
Make sure that your engine is working accordingly and that you do not have any problems with it. Moreover, make sure that your battery is fully charged, and that your electrical components are working perfectly, because during winter it is possible that your wires can get damaged; and in order to avoid that happening, it is better to regularly inspect your car for faulty wiring. If you are unsure how to do it on your own, then it is time to visit the local mechanic to have a look at it.
Check the Coolant
Your car needs a mixture of coolant and water to function properly, and if you are lacking either than you might notice problems which could eat your engine in the long run. Properly checking your car’s coolant is important as you have to keep the liquid at optimum levels so that your car does not malfunction.
Remember to only use appropriate coolant for your car as anything else might damage your vehicle and you will end up with towing your car to the nearest mechanic. For winter, it is important to maintain coolant and water levels so that your car will function properly.
Check the Electrical Components
When you make sure that electricity runs well in your car, it is time to inspect the features you have: heaters, defrosters and wipers are important to be in working condition so that your car is running well and smoothly without endangering anyone on the road.
It is better to visit a local mechanic to have the electrical components inspected if you do not know how to do it on your own; sometimes you can do more damage than good if you do not know how to do it.
Check the Brakes
Your car needs to be able to come to a full stop even when the ice sets in, and checking your brakes is imperative if you want to keep your car running safely and smoothly. Unfortunately, there are many parts of the brakes that can wear out and it is important that you check them regularly so that you do not come into a bad situation where your car is unable to stop. Be wary of any strange noise and vibrations coming from your wheels, as they might indicate that it is time for a change of brakes.
Check the Wheels
The most important part of the car that needs to be checked regularly as it is the only physical contact between a car and the road are your wheels and tyres. Making sure that tyres are at optimum pressure levels, and that they are not worn out is a great way to ensure that your winter driving will not be dangerous to you and to others as well. However, at the first signs of wear and tear, you should consider that it is time to buy tyres. Remember to always put on winter tyres when the colder weather sets in. Great choices for this winter are certainly falcon tyres.
Winter Preparation
During winter your will experience many car related issues, which can be solved quickly, especially if you prepare your car for the weather change. Making sure that everything is running at optimum levels will mean that you will not have to worry about anything this winter.
Remember to perform regular check-ups and to fix everything immediately, as the cold weather can turn something insignificant into a huge problem in no time. Furthermore, if you are unsure how to go about a problem, it will always be better to go and visit your local mechanic.