Winter Car Care Made Simple

When temperatures drop and snow starts to fall, even the toughest vehicles can succumb to damage. Read our helpful tips for preparing your car, truck, SUV, or van for the cold, so the cold doesn’t claim your vehicle as its next victim this winter.

1. Check your tires

Reliable tires are a vital component of any vehicle, no matter the season. As you move into the winter months, inspect your tires for damage, such as tears in the rubber caused by cold, dry weather. This type of wear and tear can reduce a tire’s grip, causing a downward shift in stability and control.

Just because you live in an area that doesn’t get snow doesn’t mean you’re immune to the dangers of cold-weather driving. Poorly inflated tires lose traction, and since tire pressure drops about 1-2 PSI for every 10°F decrease in temperature, it’s essential to check your tire pressure regularly. 

Fallen snow sometimes lands on obstacles, concealing them, and you might not even realize a pothole or branch is there until your car is rolling over it. Run-ins like this can cause tires to lose air and form bulges or bubbles, which is risky considering they often erupt in a full-on tire blowout.

Car tires must have at least 6/32 inches of tread to maintain solid traction on slippery frozen roads. If you know you’ll be driving in freezing conditions, consider swapping your normal tires for winter tires for improved traction, easier braking on icy roads, and reduced hydroplaning risks. 

2. Monitor fluid levels 

The next item on the winter car care checklist is fluid. Vehicles are filled with various fluids, all of which play a role in keeping your car working smoothly.

When frost and ice build up on your windshield, you turn to your trusty windshield wipers to keep your vision clear. To avoid messy windshields that cloud your eyesight in the winter, you’ll want to keep an eye on your vehicle’s windshield wiper fluid. Wiper fluid freezes when temperatures fall below freezing, so it’s best to switch to a type specifically designed for winter use.

Wiper fluid is important, but it’s not the only fluid vehicle owners need to keep track of. When driving down a slick, icy road, unstable gear shifts can cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Before you slide dangerously out of your lane, monitor your transmission fluid levels and keep them up to par. Transmission fluid helps gears function smoothly, particularly on slick surfaces. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so check your transmission fluid levels often as fall gives way to winter.

Even oil, a car’s primary life force, can be negatively affected by cold weather. For oil to continue lubricating your engine in freezing temperatures, it must be specifically formulated to withstand harsh conditions. Winter oil is labeled with two numbers, like 5W-20, where the first number indicates oil viscosity at low temperatures and the second denotes oil viscosity at high temperatures. The “W”, of course, stands for winter. A low first number, like 5W, means the oil will keep flowing smoothly even at low temperatures.

The next fluid to monitor is engine coolant. Coolant keeps car engines from overheating, but it also guards against freezing. If your coolant mixture isn’t balanced with a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze, ice can form and cause damage.

Finally, AAA recommends keeping your tank at least half full in winter. This limits the risk of freezing fuel lines and allows fuel to continue flowing to the engine so your car can start even on frigid days. 

3. Monitor brakes

As temperatures go down, so does your vehicle’s ability to brake effectively. Like other car fluids, brake fluid can freeze in low temperatures. This can result in slower response times, which is especially dangerous on slippery roads.

Brake pads are also affected by the cold. They often harden, limiting their ability to generate friction and preventing them from bringing your vehicle to a smooth stop. When snow and ice get trapped on brake components, this can lead to poor performance.

You want your brakes to be in the best condition possible in winter, so they’re prepared to stop even in snow and slush. One way to accomplish this is by checking that your brake fluid is at an appropriate level when winter begins. Old brake fluid that has absorbed moisture is more likely to thicken and become less effective in cold temperatures, so replacing old brake fluid with new can make a significant difference. Because worn-down brake pads aren’t as effective, consider replacing them before it gets too cold.

Maintaining brakes is important regardless of the season, but neglected brakes are particularly troublesome in the winter. Keep up with brake care in the winter so that you can stay safe on even the chilliest roads.

4. Check your batteries

If you’ve noticed your car battery slowing down in the winter, we promise you aren’t just imagining things. Freezing temperatures slow down the chemical reactions in car batteries, reducing performance during colder months.

Car batteries have lower capacity in the cold, and their capacity sinks 20% when temperatures hit freezing. To keep your car battery from giving out when you need it most, park in insulated spaces (like garages) and drive frequently so your car’s alternator can recharge the battery. In the winter, driving 30 minutes at least once a week is best practice. If you'd rather not risk driving in the cold, you can use a battery maintainer at home to keep it well-charged.

To make sure your car battery can handle the cold, check its CCA rating. Cold cranking amps (CCA) are a unit of measure used to express how well a car battery can start an engine in low temperatures, and you can find out your car’s recommended CCA rating in the owner’s manual or on the manufacturer’s website.

5. Prepare a winter emergency kit

It’s no secret that bad weather makes driving tough, and nasty winter conditions can be the recipe for disaster. If your car breaks down when it’s cold, you need a set of emergency supplies on your side. Start by finding a container like a duffel bag, storage bin, or weatherproof tackle box. Next, you can start gathering supplies:

• Blankets to prevent hypothermia
• Extra gloves, scarves, and socks
• Hand warmers you can activate to warm yourself up
• Non-perishable snacks like dried fruit and granola bars in case you get stranded
• Flashlight for seeing in the dark and signaling for help
• An ice scraper and snow brush
• A first-aid kit
• Water bottles
• Sand, salt, or non-clumping kitty litter to give tires traction on ice
• A fully charged power bank to keep your cell phone charged
• Jumper cables to jumpstart a dead car battery

Once your vehicle is fully stocked with these handy items, you’ll feel at ease driving in the cold. 

Drive any time with Transwest

Whether it’s winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call Transwest for excellent vehicles and remarkable service. Browse our selection of cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs to find a vehicle to last you through the winter and well beyond.