Winter can be very harsh on your car so now is the time to take preventative measures to help get your car through the season of road salt, mud and freezing temperatures.
Here are 6 steps you can take to make sure your car thrives through the winter and makes it out the other side in one piece.
1. Have a car service
Make sure you get your car serviced before the winter months kick in – if it’s not due for a full service then book it in for a winter car check-up offered by many garages at this time of year.
That way, if there are any maintenance issues affecting your car they can be resolved well before the cold weather starts to exacerbate them leaving you with serious problems.
2. Check your battery
Batteries suffer during the winter, thanks to the cold and the increased use of heaters and lights so keep an eye on how your car battery is performing. They have a shelf-life of around five years so if your car won’t start very well it might be time to change the battery.
3. Make sure the coolant is topped up with antifreeze
You need your engine coolant to be half water and half antifreeze so make sure it is at the right level – this can be carried out during the service or the winter check-up, by the garage.
You don’t want your engine coolant to freeze in the winter as this could lead to overheating issues and potentially big engine problems and big costs.
4. Check your tyres
Your tyres are what you need to make sure your car’s steering and braking works when you need it to so make sure you have the right tyre pressures and a good tread depth to give you grip on slippery roads.
5. Check all of your lights
Make sure all of your lights are working effectively including side lights, indicators and reflectors. You need to make sure that all of the bulbs are working so try out full beam and fog lights as well.
Make sure there are no cracked lenses or fogged glass and if there are any issues get these repaired straight away. It’s a good idea to keep a set of spare bulbs in the car with you for quick repairs as well. Driving without effective lights on a dark winter’s night should never be a choice.
6. Check your fluid levels
Make sure the car’s fluids are all at the correct levels including oil, water, and windscreen wash. If you aren’t sure about checking all of this yourself then ask the garage to do it as part of the winter check-up.
