Is Your Car Winter Ready?
Preparing for winter entails more than just trying to keep warm, you also need to prepare your car. The freezing temperatures can wreak havoc on your vehicle if you don’t take the proper precautions. In this article, we’re going to advise you on, is your car winter ready and also how to prepare your car for the winter.
What to look for to get your car winter ready
Tyres
Ice is one of the deadliest winter hazards. Ensure your car has sufficient grip on icy roads by swapping out your tyres for winter tyres. Winter tyres use alternative rubber and deeper grooves to provide optimal braking and handling performance in freezing conditions.
In addition, you should also ensure your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure and have suitable tread depth. UK law demands a tread depth of 1.6mm, but a deeper tread depth of around 3mm will help your vehicle to perform better in icy conditions.
Battery
Your car battery will be performing overtime in the winter months. Not only does the output suffer as a result of the cold temperatures, but it will also need to work harder to power the lights and heater. We recommend visiting a professional garage to have your battery evaluated and repaired/replaced if needed.
Coolant
Engine coolant is responsible for ensuring the water that cools the engine of your vehicle doesn’t freeze. For the coolant to work correctly, it should be a mixture of 50% water and 50% antifreeze. Many road users simply top up their engine coolant with water when they see their mixture is low, but this creates an ineffective dilution of the mixture. We suggest visiting a professional auto service garage to have your engine coolant refilled with the correct ratio of antifreeze and water.
Windscreen wipers
Your windscreen wipers should be replaced once a year. Ideally, this should be done just after autumn finishes to prepare for the winter months. Windscreen wipers work harder in winter, due to stubborn ice on the windscreen. Old windscreen wipers that haven’t been replaced may become damaged or break off entirely.
Emergency winter kit
It’s important to be prepared for the possibility that your car breaks down and you are stranded on the side of the road. Such circumstances can quickly become dangerous if you haven’t stored an emergency winter kit in your boot. We recommend using the following in your emergency kit:
- Torch and batteries
- Portable mobile phone charger
- Warm winter clothes
- A hot drink in a flask, water and food
- Blanket
Contact Us
Hopefully, this has answered the question of, “Is Your Car Winter Ready”. Wyatt Auto Services are a family-run auto centre, local to Barnsley. We provide comprehensive car servicing in Wombwell and Barnsley, and repairs, including MOTs, tyre replacements and full vehicle diagnostics. If you need your vehicle preparing for the winter months, we can assess and service your vehicle swiftly — simply get in contact for a completely free quotation.