Getting Your Car Ready for Winter

Winter can wreak havoc on your vehicle. Rain, snow, ice, salt, and other winter conditions can destroy your car and leave you stranded if you aren’t careful. To ensure that your vehicle is ready to tackle the harsh winter conditions, be sure to follow this checklist.

Check Tire Tread

Your tire tread is important for maintaining contact with the road. If your tires don’t have adequate tread depth, you’re more susceptible to punctures, which can lead to sudden blowouts. It also affects your car’s braking capability and can result in an accident. During the winter, when driving conditions are less than ideal, it’s important that you have tires you can rely on. Check your tires’ tread depth before winter arrives, and replace any tires with low tread depth.

Inspect the Wipers

Windshield wipers are usually the last thing people consider checking before the winter. But your car’s windshield wipers serve an important purpose. They clear the windshield of obstacles that block your view. Therefore, they help you see and avoid accidents. Since they have such an important job, be sure to check them before winter arrives. Look for any signs of wear or damage, like splitting. Change them immediately if they aren’t clearing your windshield effectively.

Fill up on Windshield Wiper Fluid

Did you know that a single snowstorm can exhaust a large amount of your windshield wiper fluid? That’s why it’s important to check and refill your windshield wiper fluid often. During the winter, refill your windshield wiper fluid with one that is specially formulated for winter conditions. If you are unsure if your washer fluid is the right formula for low temperatures, add a bottle of washer fluid antifreeze to the reservoir.

Make an Emergency Kit

It’s always good to have an emergency kit in your vehicle all year round, especially during the winter. Your emergency kit can help you get out of sticky situations during the winter. While every emergency kit is different, here are a few items that you should include in your emergency kit:

Winter jacket
Gloves
Blanket
Shovel
Firestarter
Kitty litter (to provide traction)
Flashlight
Ice scraper

Have Your Vehicle Professionally Serviced for Winter Conditions

The best thing you can do to get your car ready for winter is to have it professionally serviced by an auto mechanic. When you bring your vehicle to get serviced by a professional mechanic, they’ll check for things like:

Dying battery
Sufficient antifreeze
Worn out brakes
Bad belts, hoses, spark plugs, wires, or cables.

It’s always best to do preventative maintenance instead of spending money on expensive repairs, which is exactly what could happen if you take the necessary steps to prepare your car for winter.

Here to Prepare Your Car for Winter

The automotive experts at Mighty Auto Pro are here to help prepare your car for winter. With our comprehensive exams, brake services, filter changes, tire services, and more, we’ll always make sure that your car is working properly and efficiently. You can rest assured that your vehicle will be able to tackle the harsh Ohio weather conditions.

Call us today or click here to schedule an appointment.