24 Nov Time To Winterize!
When it gets cold in Chicago, it gets quite cold. That cold can have unintended effects to certain parts of your vehicle, and the act of “winterizing” is really just making sure you’re prepared to deal with whatever winter throws your way. That being said, there’s several areas to which your attention should be directed.
Are you approaching a major service interval (for example, a 30,000 mile checkup)? It’s best to get it done before winter. These services usually include most everything you could need for winter, including a fluid top-off or replacement, oil change, brake check or belt replacement. If not, you can focus specifically on several areas.
Oil and Fluids
Some cars and mechanics will recommend moving to a motor oil of a lighter weight during the winter. The cold can cause the viscosity (thickness) of an oil to increase, and thicker oil might have trouble reaching and lubricating all the parts in your engine during a cold spell. Check your owner’s manual for specific instructions regarding oil weight, but also ask your mechanic if they think it’s necessary. Some cars are just fine running the same oil weight all year.
Topping off all your other fluids is vital. When it comes to gasoline, it’s best to keep the tank more than ¼ or ½ full, as the gas lines might freeze with a low volume of gas in the tank. Also, it never hurts to carry an extra bottle of wiper fluid in your trunk; winter means salt, which means plenty of windshield fluid being used to clear the salt, and it’s better to have too much than too little.
If your coolant needs to be filled or replaced, it’s best to aim for a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water, to protect against freezing in all but the most barren of tundra.
Replacing/Maintaining Parts
Your battery works the hardest during the winter season. If your battery is three years old or older, have your mechanic run a test to make sure that it can still hold a solid charge. Also, make sure to refill the water in the battery cells (if it’s running low), and clean the terminals to make sure that the battery isn’t working hard for nothing. The following is a picture of a nice, clean battery, free of terminal buildup. This is what all batteries should look like:
Also, make sure your wiper blades will be up to the task of removing all that junk from your windshield. They make heavy-duty wiper blades specifically for winter, and nothing is worse than trying to clear your windshield and just smearing salt everywhere.
It’s a good idea, as well, to get all your hoses and belts examined. Cold weather can cause some rubber components to become harder, brittle and more prone to cracking and failure. This is especially true of old rubber, so have them looked at and, if necessary, replaced before temps dip below freezing.
Check your heating and ventilation components, as well. Ensuring proper functionality of the defroster, heater core and air conditioning (A/C helps the defroster work better, believe it or not) is paramount to maintaining good visibility of the road ahead.
Finally, don’t forget about your brakes. The colder temperatures mean that brakes will take a bit longer to warm up and express their full potential while driving, so it’s in your best interest (and the best interest of those around you on the road) to make sure that you’re able to brake as quickly as possible, since inclement winter weather can cause all sorts of traffic-related hassles.
Tires
It should go without saying that it’s important to keep your tire pressures correct. Your service manual should tell you the proper psi at which to inflate your tires. Also, check your spare tire to make sure that it’s ready, in case you encounter an errant winter pothole. While you’re at it, make sure you have all the necessary tire-replacement tools, as well (jack, lug wrench, etc.).
Buying snow tires is also a good idea. Most all-season tires are equipped to deal with a wide variety of weather conditions, but snow tires are meant for one specific season – winter. Their treads are equipped with many little sipes, which can aid traction dramatically on both ice and snow, two frequent occurrences on Chicago roads between December and March. Snow tires aren’t the cheapest tire to buy, but they will last several winters in a row, so long as you don’t continue to use them after it gets warm out (snow tires’ treads degrade quickly on warm, dry roads). Given the unpredictable nature of drivers in winter, it’s a good idea to be equipped for all situations, including the occasional panic braking. You can see those previously mentioned sipes in the tread of this Bridgestone Blizzak; unlike all-season tires, winter tires are equipped with all sorts of technology to maximize traction in iffy conditions:
Talk to your mechanic about mounting and balancing fees, as well. If you only have one set of wheels, you’ll need to have your summer and winter tires swapped at the end of each season. It may be more financially sound to invest in some winter wheels that you can just toss on with a jack and a lug wrench when the time comes.
Winter Preparedness Kit
Some people, especially those who frequent the less-traveled roads, tend to have an emergency kit in their car in case they become stranded. Being stuck in a pile of snow, while scary, can be remedied with a gritty, grainy substance such as kitty litter or sand. Anything that can give your car traction in a slick snowdrift is a good addition to your trunk in the winter.
As with most cars, you should have extra fluids (even if it’s just windshield washer fluid), an ice scraper and jumper cables on hand. If you have an older car that’s more prone to acting finicky in the winter, make sure to have a blanket or extra clothes handy, in case you end up stranded.
Even if you never use these items, it’s better to have them and not need them, than to need them and not have them.
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