Winterize Your Vehicle Now
Brrr. Those chilly temperatures are blowing into the Rochester area, and it is now time to prepare your vehicle for the winter weather. Here are the top six items that should be on your car care list, advises Automotive Technology Expert Douglas Rivers.
1. Test the battery. One of the most problematic issues for a vehicle in the first cold snap is a weak battery; the battery’s efficiency decreases in cold temperatures. Even with a towing plan through your car insurance or AAA, you don’t want to get stuck outside in a storm waiting for a battery jump.
2. Check the accessory belt(s) for fraying, cracks and glazing. Fraying can occur on the flat or ribbed side (the grooved side of the belt). Fraying is a condition when the belt separates or tears. Belts should have no more than five cracks per inch. When the belt becomes smooth or glossy, the glazing will prevent proper gripping as the belt rotates and, as such, won’t effectively charge the alternator, which charges the battery. Also, an indicator that the car needs a new belt: it screeches as it starts up.
Replace belts as necessary. Some vehicles have more than one belt, so be sure to check them all. To find out when your vehicle’s timing belt needs to be changed, check "https://www.gates.com/".
3. Check the freeze protection of the coolant. Replace the coolant if the coolant’s temperature protection is measured higher than the lowest temperature it could dip this winter, or if the service life has expired. Antifreeze intervals are between 30,000 and 100,000 miles. Antifreeze testers are available for a few dollars at local auto parts stores (such as https://www.napaonline.com/MasterPages/NOLMaster.aspx?PageId=0 and https://www.pepboys.com/). And check your coolant when the engine is cold or you could easily burn yourself. The correct coolant type will be listed in the owner’s manual along with service intervals.
4. Fill up the washer fluid and get new blades. While you’re picking up the tester, buy a new pair of windshield washer blades (guidebooks in the store tell what size blades are required for each specific vehicle make, model and year). Remember to swab the blades with alcohol periodically to improve performance. For the winter weather, an alcohol-based washer solution (such as Rain-X De-Icer) will help remove light snow and frost, and the fluid will not freeze in temperatures warmer than -25 degrees.
5. Look over the tires. Ensure the tire’s air pressure is set to manufacturer’s specification. You can find the pressure or psi information listed on the placecard (or owners manual) – a sticker placed on the inner wall of the driver’s side door. Furthermore, check for an even pattern in the wear of the tire tread (uneven wear likely requires rotation and balance). And measure the tread depth. New York State Inspection lists seasonal tire specification at a minimum of 2/32 of an inch. I would recommend at least twice that for winter use; the more the tread the better the traction. Snow tires are the best option for winter driving conditions. The spare tire should be check for pressure and tread depth as well.
Remember – you place more demands on your vehicle in the cold temperatures when you start up the engine and immediately crank the heat and the rear defogger, run the radio, and swish the wipers to remove snow. Performing maintenance at your vehicle’s recommended service intervals improves your engine’s performance and reliability. Make an appointment today with your technician certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence ("https://www.asecert.org/").
Dianne E McConkey
College and Community Relations
10/23/2007 |