Winterproofing Your Vehicle

Winter weather tends to be unpredictable with a fairy tale like landscape one day and a white-out storm the next. Due to this, it is important for you, as a driver and commuter, to prepare for the worst that Mother Nature can dish out.

With winter quickly approaching, we decided to offer you some useful tips to winterproof your vehicles. Our tips concern your vehicle, tires and emergency kits that give you a small check list before the harsher weather reaches your area.

Vehicle

Winter can be ruthless to your vehicle. From the freezing temperatures to the unbearable road conditions it can cause major frustrations. Here is a list of the most important things you will need to check or fix to ensure your vehicle’s safe performance in winter weather.

Battery

In colder temperatures, the vehicle’s battery tends to cause some problems. The battery gives the vehicle its performing power and neglecting it can lead to annoying and sometimes dangerous outcomes. The vehicle’s battery performs differently in various weather conditions. It loses power in freezing and below freezing temperatures. This is why your vehicle can be harder to start up when it’s especially cold, which can leave you stranded. Check your battery and its changer before winter starts and change or fix what needs up be upgraded to ensure your driving safety

Antifreeze

Antifreeze ensures the engine’s winter weather performance. To protect the engine a 50-50 water to antifreeze ratio is recommended. This prevents the engine from freezing over in colder temperature, which is not only a nuisance, but it can damage the vehicle severely. Protecting it from the freezing temperatures, ensures its secure driving ability from start to finish.

Windshield Wipers

Visibility is of the utmost importance in winter conditions. You never know when a winter storm will hit. So it’s important to be prepared by upgrading your windshield wipers to winter weather ones. Winter weather wipers offer a better cleaning ability that will help you clean the ice and snow off the windshield. Furthermore, their rubber area will not freeze to the windshield.

You can also purchase cold temperature washer fluid. This fluid will help melt the ice on the windshield, which will save you from scraping the ice off the vehicle in the cold mornings.

Heating

The vehicle’s AC will help you out in many ways. The dry air it blows into the vehicle’s cabin not only warms you up, but it helps to defrost your windows. Also, it is very uncomfortable to drive in colder temperatures without any source of heating in your vehicle. Be sure to not get sick during your commute.

Tires

In this blog post, we will not be talking about the all season vs. winter tire debate. If you are interested in that topic, please read our blog post on the subject.

Tread Depth and Condition

Most states allow tires that have 4/32nds of an inch of tread left to be in a drivable condition per inspection. However, when it comes to winter tires, the more tread the tire has the safer its performance will be. Winter tires need good tread depths to conquer the ice- and snow-covered road surfaces as they have to have adequate traction to ensure their forward motion and grip. And of course you want to avoid sliding!

Pressure

The change in temperature affects the tire’s PSI. With every 10 degree drop in the temperature the tire loses a PSI. This is even more serious in winter, when the temperatures easily drop below freezing. Maintaining the needed PSI in tires guarantees their safer performing ability without compromising on the vehicle’s fuel intake.

Emergency Kit

In winter weather, you must be prepared for everything. Even if your vehicle’s in great shape, you can still end up stranded if the weather is severe enough. Pack an emergency kit, and a shovel, into your car.

A stubborn patch of ice on the road surface can cause your vehicle to slide off the road. In such cases, it comes in handy to have a shovel, even a smaller one, packed. This way, you won’t need to wait for help, you can just shovel your way out of the predicament.

For longer trips, it is recommended to pack a blanket and other emergency supplies including food and water. Some other suggestions are a flashlight, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, reflective emergency triangles or flares, and some heavy-duty towing straps.

Even if you check your vehicle completely before the start of winter, accidents can happen. These supplies will keep you warm and safe until AAA or other services come to help you out. You do not want to be stranded in freezing temperatures without any source of heat.

Priority Tire wishes you a safe winter weather journey!