Depending on who you ask, winter is either already here, or right around the corner. Whatever you believe, it’s time to get your car ready for the next wave of cold weather, snow, and ice. At E&Y Insurance, we remind all of our car insurance and auto insurance policy owners that it is extremely dangerous to trek out onto the roads with an improperly maintained car. If you regularly check your vehicle for proper fluids, tire pressure, and other essential areas, you’re probably in good shape, but for the rest of us, here is a checklist you can utilize to get your car ready for the colder months
- Read your owners manual – This will remind you when you should be regularly maintaining your vehicle, and how to properly keep things up to date.
- Correct any obvious driving issues – Does your car stall often? Do you feel like the power is fading? Is it performing rough when in idle? These are all issues you do NOT want to deal with in the snow, so it’s time to get them checked out now. Cold weather makes these problems exponentially worse.
- Replace filters – If you haven’t changed your filters regularly, they’re probably filthy. Filters such as fuel, air, and PCV, will cause a car to run poorly if they are not clean.
- Change your oil – Your manual will let you know how often you need to be changing your oil. Believe it or not, while wildly advertised, oil changes are the most neglected area of car maintenance. Don’t get stuck in the snow because you forgot to change your oil!
- Flush and refill your cooling system – Your cooling system should have an equal mix of water and antifreeze to thoroughly handle the really cold days. Again, check your owner’s manual to make sure that you are properly addressing this area.
- Check your defroster and heater – Chances are you haven’t had your heat on since last winter. Are you sure it’s still working? Now is the time to check, as you don’t want to have an iced over car for the next several months.
- Replace your windshield wipers – Old and rusted windshield wipers can be damaging to your car in the colder months. They’ll freeze over faster, and the build up will be inevitable. Make sure you have enough windshield wiper solvent to last you the entire winter.
Get started on this list, and check back soon for Part 2 of your automobile winter preparation!
