For many drivers, the challenges of winter car ownership are just around the corner. In Ohio, we have salted streets, icy roads, freezing temperatures, and heavy snow. We want to make sure your car is well cared for during the difficult winter months, so we've listed 5 simple car care tips that can go a long way toward making sure your car stays in great shape all winter long.
Battery Often batteries have a more difficult time operating in cold weather than in warm weather. As a result, a battery that's relatively weak during the summer could result in a dead battery during the winter. We recommend having a volt test performed on your battery before winter starts to make sure it's still in good working order. If it isn't, buy a new battery as soon as possible so you'll never have to worry about being stranded or left in a cold parking lot with a car that won't start.
- Tire Pressure It's important to keep track of your tire pressure as temperatures get colder. This is because tire pressure can drop along with the air temperature if you don’t have appropriate winter tires. This could be a loss of up to one pound per square inch with every 10-degree drop in air temperature. Driving around with low tire pressure could mean premature tire wear or potential tread separation. If you check your tire pressure and find that one or more of your tires are low on air, fill them at an air pump, and don't forget to let out a little air so when temperatures start to climb again in the spring they have expansion room.
- Tires Winter tires are highly recommended in areas where the temperature regularly drops below 45 degrees. Winter tires are more capable of staying under the correct pressure at a low temperature. This means that they can provide improved traction when you're trying to stop, and turn, on the cold pavement, even if there's no snow on the ground.
- Lighting One major hazard with winter driving is that the sun sets earlier in the day, which means there's less daylight, especially on your commute home. As a result, you'll want to do everything you possibly can to make sure all of your vehicle's lights are in great shape and providing the brightest possible illumination they can. If a bulb is out, fix it before winter starts, and if there's snow covering any exterior light, make sure you remove it before setting off to drive anywhere. If your headlights are foggy or yellow, consider replacing them, or look into an easy restoration kit.
- Survival Kit maximizes your vehicle's safety for winter by adding a survival kit in the car. While it might sound ridiculous for some urban drivers, motorists in rural areas could easily find themselves stuck on a country road with heavy snow or ice, and little road traffic to save you quickly. Even when traveling on the highway, the possibility of an accident, or just sitting in traffic for a while, is a probability in winter. Stock the car with a blanket, a first-aid kit, a knife, a flashlight, jumper cables and a cellphone charger that works in your vehicle's cigarette lighter. We also suggest keeping a shovel in your vehicle's trunk and some sort of de-icer spray handy, so you can easily access the engine or trunk in case they're frozen shut.
For many drivers, the challenges of winter car ownership are just around the corner. In Ohio, we have salted streets, icy roads, freezing temperatures, and heavy snow. We want to make sure your car is well cared for during the difficult winter months, so we've listed 5 simple car care tips that can go a long way toward making sure your car stays in great shape all winter long.
Battery Often batteries have a more difficult time operating in cold weather than in warm weather. As a result, a battery that's relatively weak during the summer could result in a dead battery during the winter. We recommend having a volt test performed on your battery before winter starts to make sure it's still in good working order. If it isn't, buy a new battery as soon as possible so you'll never have to worry about being stranded or left in a cold parking lot with a car that won't start.
- Tire Pressure It's important to keep track of your tire pressure as temperatures get colder. This is because tire pressure can drop along with the air temperature if you don’t have appropriate winter tires. This could be a loss of up to one pound per square inch with every 10-degree drop in air temperature. Driving around with low tire pressure could mean premature tire wear or potential tread separation. If you check your tire pressure and find that one or more of your tires are low on air, fill them at an air pump, and don't forget to let out a little air so when temperatures start to climb again in the spring they have expansion room.
- Tires Winter tires are highly recommended in areas where the temperature regularly drops below 45 degrees. Winter tires are more capable of staying under the correct pressure at a low temperature. This means that they can provide improved traction when you're trying to stop, and turn, on the cold pavement, even if there's no snow on the ground.
- Lighting One major hazard with winter driving is that the sun sets earlier in the day, which means there's less daylight, especially on your commute home. As a result, you'll want to do everything you possibly can to make sure all of your vehicle's lights are in great shape and providing the brightest possible illumination they can. If a bulb is out, fix it before winter starts, and if there's snow covering any exterior light, make sure you remove it before setting off to drive anywhere. If your headlights are foggy or yellow, consider replacing them, or look into an easy restoration kit.
- Survival Kit maximizes your vehicle's safety for winter by adding a survival kit in the car. While it might sound ridiculous for some urban drivers, motorists in rural areas could easily find themselves stuck on a country road with heavy snow or ice, and little road traffic to save you quickly. Even when traveling on the highway, the possibility of an accident, or just sitting in traffic for a while, is a probability in winter. Stock the car with a blanket, a first-aid kit, a knife, a flashlight, jumper cables and a cellphone charger that works in your vehicle's cigarette lighter. We also suggest keeping a shovel in your vehicle's trunk and some sort of de-icer spray handy, so you can easily access the engine or trunk in case they're frozen shut.
