The winter season can take a heavy toll on your vehicle damages that range from low tire pressure to frozen fuel lines to road salt damage. It is vital to prepare yourself and your car for winter before it comes. It will help lessen the frustrating experiences that accompany a malfunctioning vehicle during winter. Some tips that will help maintain your vehicle during the winter season are;
1. Keep your fuel tank half full
During winter, you will do well to keep the tank at least half full to account for emergencies. It will also be a great help if you found yourself stuck in the snow and need to wait for rescue. With your car well-fueled, you may keep it running and at the same time, keep the heat on. If you are going on long trips, make sure to plan gas stops.
2. Check for the tire pressure regularly, perhaps weekly
An underinflated tire is very dangerous during winter, as it will lose traction on icy surfaces. Possibly, it would interest you to know that a tire loses about a pound of pressure with every 10-degree drop in the temperature of its environment. It implies that your tire pressure check should be regularly—every week. When you do this regularly, you also minimize the risk of premature wear on your tires.
3. Get winter tires instead of the regular tires
Some tires are specially made to combat the pros and cons of the winter season. They are designed to give better traction, while you turn or stop on an icy pavement. With winter tires, you are assured of a better driving experience during the cold season than its regular counterpart. If you are looking to buy the tires, you may check CollectedReviews. This platform collects general reviews on products and services offered to customers, for studies on some car service companies. It is always best to read reviews as it allows you to form a view on the seller’s reliability.
4. Add a protective layer
The road salt, grime, snow, sleet, among many other intrigues of the winter season for drivers are enough to keep a person frustrated. A coat of polymer wax can make a barrier against such experiences. Along with the polymer wax, a high-pressure wash after a winter storm rinses away build-up in hard to reach areas.
5. Protect your windshield wipers
When you park outside, there is a chance that your wipers would freeze to the windshield. It is always best to keep your wipers in an upright position to prevent this problem. You should also make sure not to use your wiper blades to remove ice, snow, or frost from the windshield. It would be best to get a scraper for activities such as these.
6. Manage rusts with rinsing
Some solvents are put on the roadways during bad weather to protect the roads, and they are capable of damaging the frame, brake lines, and body panels of your vehicle. Make sure to rinse out the nether parts of your car thoroughly as soon as possible to prevent its rust.
7. Keep your car windows up in freezing temperatures
Wait at least 30 minutes for your car to warm before you roll down the windows. If you do not do this, water may collect in your window seals and the mechanical parts of the door, and may later freeze. It would cause damages like leaky windows or temperamental controls to your vehicle.
It would be best to access professional car companies, like TruckProUSA, for some of these maintenance activities, like getting the winter tires. Please make sure to read reviews before making transactions with these companies. Check out TruckProUSA reviews here. A survival kit is also needed to be with you at all times during this winter period.