Server: Microsoft-IIS/3.0 Date: Thu, 20 Nov 1997 00:55:26 GMT Content-Type: text/html Accept-Ranges: bytes Last-Modified: Tue, 23 Sep 1997 20:22:58 GMT Content-Length: 8973 Winterize your Vehicle


Car Care

Winterize
your Vehicle

Heater

Air Filter

Belts and Hoses

Antifreeze-
Coolant

Battery

Brakes

Lubrication
System

Tires

Under-the-Hood
Fluids

Windshield Wipers

 
Winterize your car

Yield
With summer gone, and winter all over us, we will soon be entering the toughest driving season for many vehicles. With that thought in mind, it is a good idea to properly prepare these vehicles for the cold. Proper preventative maintenance can help to avoid potentially dangerous vehicle problems.

Performing this type of preventative maintenance will reduce the chances of your winter driving being interrupted by vehicle problems. What's more, you'll probably extend the life of your vehicle. Have a safe winter driving season.

Heater - You wouldn't want your heater to fail during a long cold winter. In very cold areas, where cold fronts, accompanied by blizzard-like conditions occur, the loss of your heater can be much more than just an inconvenience. Heater hoses and their connections should be checked before the onset of cold weather.
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Air Filter - If your air filter has not been changed recently, this is a good time to do so.
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Belts & Hoses - It's a good idea to check all belts and hoses before winter sets in. Belts should be checked for proper tension and wear. Either replace questionable belts or carry spares and the tools to install them. Check hoses for wear and tear. Replace any that look questionable. To be needlessly stranded, in the dead of winter because of a hose or belt problem, is potentially dangerous.

Antifreeze-Coolant - As winter approaches, one of the most important things you can do for your car is check the antifreeze. Most manufacturers recommend a 50:50 mixture of antifreeze to water which will provide protection against freezing down to -35 degrees F. Antifreeze content is easily measured with a float hydrometer. If your coolant has not been changed in the last two years, it is a good idea to drain the old coolant for proper disposal and replace with a fresh mixture. Antifreeze, while very stable, will degrade over time. When it degrades, its ability to protect your engine diminishes.
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Battery - One of the most common cold weather problems is battery failure. As a battery ages, its ability to provide adequate current at low temperatures decreases. Thus, it is possible for a battery to appear to behave normally in warm weather and then fail to crank after sitting overnight in cold temperatures. Be sure to check the fluid level in each cell of a non-sealed battery and check for proper charge. No one wants to be stranded due to a dead battery.

Brakes - Examine the brake pads and/or shoes for remaining life. it's easier to replace brakes locally than on the road. While examining the brake system, make sure to check the brake fluid level. As most brake fluids are glycol based, they absorb water over time, through brake system seals, hoses and caps. If the water level reaches a significant concentration, a hot running brake system can boil the brake fluid, forming a compressible vapor in the brake line, which in severe cases can cause spongy brakes or brake failure. Do not ignore proper brake fluid maintenance. And be sure to install the proper fluid. Contamination with the wrong product can lead to brake system failure.
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Lubrication System - Before any long trip, it is a good idea to change engine oil and filter, as well as performing any routine chassis and general lubrication. Some vehicles require changes in motor oil viscosity grades in colder weather from those recommended in warm weather. Be sure to check your owner's manual for the proper viscosity grade. The vast majority of late model American and Japanese cars and light trucks list 5W-30 and l0W-30 as the only recommended viscosity grades for all-temperature service.
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Tires - Before any trip, check for adequate remaining tread and adjust for the recommended pressure. Proper pressure will not only increase the life of a tire, but will improve fuel economy as well, which can be very important on a long trip. Always check tire pressure when the tires are cold. Be sure to check the spare also.

Under-the-Hood Fluids - Check the fluid levels not previously mentioned, including the power steering fluid reservoir, windshield washer reservoir, automatic transmission, manual gearbox, and differential(s). Investigate any unexplained fluid losses.
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Windshield Wipers - The time to check wiper blades is just before and after winter. Winter driving in sleet, snow and ice is the toughest punishment that your wiper blades will ever see. Having old worn blades at the onset of winter could lead to dangerous driving conditions should you encounter any bad weather.

Caution


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