Winter Maintenance Tips

Winter Maintenance We Recommend

• Battery Test & Inspection
• Brake System Inspection
• Tire Inspection
• New Wiper Blades (if applicable)
• Change Washer Fluid to Winter Blend
• HVAC Inspection – heater, defrost, seat warmers, steering wheel warmers, etc.
• Prepare a Roadside Safety Kit

In addition to routine maintenance as outlined by your owner’s manual to be conducted at certain intervals, there are a few extra things you can do before winter. The first thing is to check the battery. If it’s old or not working as efficiently as it should, it’s time to replace it. Vehicles can be hard to start in cold weather, which puts extra strain on the battery if it spends an extraordinary amount of time turning the starter, and if parked outside, the cold weather itself can be hard on a battery.

You should always check the tires also if the tread is worn the car won’t handle as well as expected in snow or ice, or even heavy rains in some cases. Make sure the wipers are in good shape to keep the windshield clear and be sure to keep a window scraper handy to clear heavy snow before driving. Final winter preparation is to check the engine coolant and make sure there is enough antifreeze to water ratio to prevent freezing and bursting a radiator line.

During Winter Weather…

The worst thing that can happen in winter weather is an accident. Driving in icy conditions is what people think of as causing an accident, but other factors come into play as well. Poor visibility is another leading cause of accidents, whether the driver can’t see well through their windows or whether other cars aren’t properly using lights and are difficult to see. Nearly as bad is a breakdown on the side of the road, which can become especially dangerous when other cars have poor handling and low visibility due to the weather.