How To Prepare Your Vehicle For Winter

Colder temperatures put your car under more strain, so it’s important to take some key steps to get your vehicle ready for winter. Preparing your car for winter can reduce the risk of accidents on slippery surfaces, improve your vehicle’s performance, and avoid excessive damage. At Dan Cummins Chevrolet Buick of Paris, our professional auto technicians have put together some steps you should follow to ensure your vehicle is ready to handle the snow and ice. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you want to know more about winterizing your vehicle.

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Replace Your Windshield Wipers

Windshield wipers are essential in winter because visibility can be poor. During a snowstorm or heavy rain, your wipers need to be at the top of their game to keep your windshield clear. However, wipers aren’t built to last. They typically need changing after 12 months or so. If you haven’t had your wipers changed in a while, the lead-up to winter is the perfect time to take care of this task. The cost won’t be much, but you can make an enormous difference in your winter driving experience.

While you’re completing this task, check your wiper fluid as well. You may need to top it up so you don’t run out at an inconvenient moment, like on the highway in the middle of a snowstorm.

Change Your Tires

During the worst winter months, getting your crossover or truck fitted with snow tires is a sensible idea. Snow tires provide added grip on icy and snowy roads, allowing you to drive more safely in challenging conditions. The only drawback to winter tires is that they reduce your vehicle’s fuel economy. If you’d rather not get winter tires, you should still check the tread on your existing tires. If the tread is wearing down, now is an excellent time to get a new set of tires.

Prepare a Survival Kit

Predicting what the weather could throw at you during the winter is impossible. A short drive that may seem a breeze under normal conditions could become a much lengthier challenge if roads get blocked or snowstorms reduce visibility. If you get stuck in a storm or are forced to wait for assistance, you should prepare a simple survival kit.

The kit should include water bottles, food to keep you going for a few hours, and basic maintenance equipment for your car, such as a jack, an ice scraper, and a pair of gloves. You should also pack some warm clothing in your vehicle in case you’re stranded and can’t heat your car. A first-aid kit will also come in handy in case of emergencies.

Test Your Battery

When the temperatures drop, it gets harder for your battery to perform. That’s because batteries use more energy to start an engine than under normal conditions. If your battery is already several years old and on the decline, a snap of wintry weather could be the final straw.

To avoid dealing with a dead battery in winter, get your battery tested by a qualified service technician so you know what condition it’s in. Batteries typically have a working life of three to four years, so if your battery is about that age, replacing it now might be your best option.

Check Your Brakes

You’ll want to make sure your brakes are in top condition during the winter since wet or slippery surfaces will put them to the test. As you probably know from your own driving experience, it takes much longer to slow down or come to a stop on wet surfaces than on a dry road.

Your brake checkup should include inspecting your pads to ensure they’re not too worn and your fluids to ensure they don’t need replacing or topping up. If you’ve been experiencing any issues with your brakes lately, now is the time to have a professional perform a thorough examination so they can put things right.

Change Your Engine Oil

Engine oil also behaves differently during cold weather. It tends to get thicker in cold temperatures, which can become a problem, especially if you use thicker oil under normal conditions. You should check your owner’s manual to find advice on whether to switch to a thinner oil during the winter months.

Even if you ultimately choose to stick with the same type of engine oil you currently have, it’s well worth getting an oil change at this time of year. Oil breaks down and gets contaminated over time, reducing its ability to lubricate your engine. This is the last thing you want during cold temperatures.

Get a Thorough Vehicle Inspection From a Professional Mechanic

If you want to be sure that your vehicle is winter-ready heading into the colder months, you may want to have your vehicle inspected by a professional mechanic. During a multi-point inspection, our auto technicians will examine all the parts of your crossover or truck that typically require maintenance, such as brake and steering fluids, brake pads, tires, engine oil, and more. They can also identify any repairs that may be necessary to ensure that you and your vehicle go through the winter months unscathed.

One critical area to ask your technician to inspect is your air conditioning. You may need to change a filter to improve its performance and keep your cabin at a comfortable temperature during the cold months. While you can put up with a short drive without heating your cabin, longer drives during winter without a heater can be problematic.

We offer multi-point inspections at our Chevy service center in Paris. Our technicians can inspect your vehicle before a tune-up so that you’re all set for winter. If you require any new parts or materials, our parts department can arrange that for you.

We hope our guide to winterizing your Chevy has helped you make the necessary preparations for the colder months ahead. If you have any questions about our tips, don’t hesitate to contact us today. Our professional service center personnel are always happy to provide their expert advice to our Kentucky customers or reserve an appointment for your vehicle at our service center.

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