Winterizing your vehicle

Winterizing your vehicle

It’s time for winterizing your vehicle. Similar to weather changes affecting you, weather also affects your vehicle. Your car will not function properly without a little care before winter. Ideally, winterizing should be completed before the first frost.

 

Flush and replace the coolant

Flush the cooling system to ensure there is no unbalanced mix of coolant. This will prevent freezing and will also maintain proper flow through the radiator and cooling systems. Blockages in the cooling system can reduce heat flow in the cab and/or can cause overheating in the engine.

 

Check your antifreeze

Antifreeze doesn't just protect your engine in winter; it stops corrosion and build-up all year round. Test your antifreeze with an antifreeze tester.

 

Check and replace your windshield wipers

Check your car blades to see if they are in need of replacing. If they streak, squeak or are noticeably dry and cracked, they are in need of replacing. Often times, if they are over a year old, they will need to be replaced. 

 

Replace your washer fluid

Purchase washer fluid rated to temperatures as cold as your region. Use cold-weather fluid that will not freeze at the coldest possible winter temperature.

 

Check your tire tread

Worn tires are extremely dangerous. Tire tread needs to be checked before winter to ensure adequate grip for winter driving conditions. The simplest way is to place a penny head-down into the tread. If you can’t see the top of Lincoln’s head, your tires need to be replaced.

 

Check your tire pressure

Check the pressure of each tire with a tire pressure gauge. As the temperature continues to decrease, your tires will continue to lose pressure. Tire pressure should be checked on all tires, including your spare. Store your tire pressure gauge and air pump in your vehicle over the winter.

 

If your car is sitting in the garage all winter…

Disconnect the battery

Don’t let the battery get below 30 degrees. Bring it inside if possible. If a batter gets below 30 degrees without recharging frequently, it will deplete itself and possibly never work again.

 

SeaFoam your car

Put SeaFoam everywhere on your vehicle; you can even dump it all over the seats. It cleans and prevents oil from building up. Any piece of metal coated with oil that is placed on another piece of metal and left to sit for an extended period of time will have a build-up wherever the pressure was or wherever the pieces were in contact. This happens to every part in the motor all winter while the car sits there and hasn’t turned. This includes the fuel pump, cylinders, valve train, injectors, filters, and anything that moves.

 

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