7 Ways To Keep Your Car Winter-Ready

Winter is here and as much as we need to care for ourselves in this cold season, we ought to take care of the things around us too.

As much as the winter brings with it certain good things, it presents a fair share of problems as well. Electricals, automobiles and many more mechanicals tend to face the brunt of the harsh winter.

Fret not! We’re here with a few winter tips to keep your cars in shape so that you can head to work, your favorite holiday destination or enjoy that dinner party in time.

Here are some ‘must-know’ Winter Car Care tips:

• Take your Car to the Doctor: Like it’s a must to keep your health in check from time-to-time, it is becomes mandatory to even take your car for a doctor’s appointment. Winter season calls for a visit to your car’s authorized service center. Cars tend to perform poorly during the cold season which you would want to avoid in case of an emergency. Hence, it is essential that you get ‘all-clear’ certificate before you take your car for a ride.
• Keep Your Car Warm: Ever heard that weird sound when your car takes a run in the cold? It sure doesn’t sound good! Technology has evolved to give us better, improvised working mechanisms in our automobiles, avoiding the need for constant maintenance like earlier times and older models. But it would be a good option to turn your car on and leave it running for 3-5 minutes before you hit the road. Warming your car allows engine oil to spread to every corner of the engine for an optimal on-road performance
• Ensure Battery Health: Experience a startup-trouble or flickering headlights? Maybe it’s time for a battery checkup! While the summer can drain your battery of its energy, the winter season has slightly unknown side effects that can lead to permanent damage for your car. Here’s how, your car battery contains distilled water, if the water freezes due to external temperatures then the damage can be fatal. Moreover, if your car battery’s charge is low, then chances are high that it won’t survive the winter.
• Check Tyre Pressure: The engine maybe the heart of your engine but your it would never be able to display its worth without car wheels. Yes, winter can very much undermine your tyre’s performance. The cold season the pressure in tyres decreases, based off the universal air principle. Hence, it is advisable to conduct tyre pressure checks during this harsh weather. In doing so, you will be able to avoid any driving mishaps.
• Brace Your Car With Fog Lights: The importance of lights on a cold foggy night is very much understood by all of us. They play an important role in cutting through the fog and the night darkness. Nowadays, most cars are equipped with fog lights and more with rear fog lights. If your car is of an older time and doesn’t have them, it is advisable to install fog lights on your car.
• Keep the Front View Clean: Smoke, mist and Fog have the tendency to block out your view of what’s in front of your car. Winter presents this challenge and here’s the science behind it. Fog or mist is caused due to difference between external and internal (inside your car) temperatures. Fortunately, there is a remedy to this is minimizing the temperature difference by using a dehumidifier pack.
• Treat Your Car With a Coolant: The coolant which is used to reduce the temperature of your car’s engine in summer, works like a miracle component in winter too. The chemical inside the coolant keeps the engine from freezing and jamming all through the winter season. Hence, it is essential to ensure that the antifreeze level in your car is at optimum levels. Also, make sure to treat the engine with a coolant when required.

Now that you’ve read your maintenance manual, get going with applying these tips to your car’s benefit.