How to prepare your car for winter weather

The biting winter weather can certainly take its toll on your vehicle, which is why you need your car in tip-top condition as soon as the temperatures start dropping. Driving during a winter storm can be a real challenge. The roads can be dangerous and there’s the risk of getting stuck out in the middle of nowhere. Making your car ready for the winter season not only reduces the risk of accidents and breakdowns, but also reduces the potential personal and financial costs of these incidents, if they do happen. 

If you don’t know how to get your car ready for winter conditions, this article will outline a few easy pre-winter car maintenance tips. These include testing your battery, checking your tires and wipers, adjusting your insurance premiums, and packing a winter car emergency kit. You can implement some of these tips on your own, but for the others, you'll need a professional mechanic. All of them are worth the initial investment to have done, since they’ll save you a lot of aggravation in the long run.

Test and Resolve Battery Issues

The battery brings your car to life every time you start it up. It also carries the huge responsibility of powering all the electrical components of your car. Car batteries generally don't like the cold weather, which means they take longer to charge to 100% and require a higher charge to function efficiently once the temperatures drop. So, while everything may appear well and fine in warmer weather, you need to ensure that your battery is functioning optimally before the winter season arrives. 

To get ahead of this issue, have your battery checked out once you notice the cold weather is setting in. You could purchase a battery tester designed to conduct a holistic diagnosis of the battery, starter, and entire charging system. But ideally, you should take it to a professional mechanic who’ll not only test the battery, but will also inspect the terminals for any signs of corrosion and resolve any issues they find. 

Consider Adjusting Your Insurance Premiums

As you can see from the little we’ve covered in the article so far, it’s apparent that winter weather can impact a car negatively. As there’s a higher chance of your car getting damaged, you’re likely to take a huge financial hit if your vehicle isn’t insured adequately. That’s why you should consider upgrading your auto insurance coverage during the winter months, so that you'll be fully covered in the event of an unexpected incident, such as damage from a hail storm.

Even if you plan on keeping your car off the roads during the winter, increasing your coverage can still be a worthwhile investment. With storage coverage, your stored vehicle can be covered under comprehensive insurance for theft, vandalism, or weather-related damage. If you’re someone who owns an antique or collector car, you can even purchase special collector car insurance to see you through the season. 

Evaluating your insurance before the winter season tends to be more of a necessity than an option if you live in snowy and icy places. Just be sure to return to your normal coverage policies once the springtime hits.

Apply Lubricant Where Necessary to Prevent Lock-Up

Extra lubricant is a car’s best friend during the winter months in order to keep the moving parts moving. Freezing water tends to seep through small gaps in areas like your car's window tracks, door hinges, weather stripping, and locks. When water continually seeps through the gaps in window tracks, it creates drag each time you open the window. Over time, this can cause your window regulator cables to go short circuit, which, as you can imagine, will cost more to repair, especially when compared to the price of a bottle of lubricant. If water seeps into the door hinges, this can prevent them from opening and closing smoothly. If it accumulates in the door lock, this might cause corrosion, making it difficult to unlock your car with a physical key. The same applies if water penetrates the gap of your weatherstripping and freezes. Opening the doors might be near impossible. That’s why it’s important to apply lubricant to all the hinges, seals, and moving parts of your vehicle before the winter weather hits. 

Check and Consider Changing Your Tires

Most tires are designed to withstand both the higher temperatures of the summer months and the cooler winter months. But drastic temperature drops can result in severe contracting and a reduction in tire pressure. The situation becomes riskier if your tires are wearing out, as your car's stability can be completely shot, especially on wet and icy roads. Plus, worn-out tires tend to increase the required stopping distance when braking. 

The solution is to check the pressure in all your tires once the weather starts to drop. While you’re at it, you should also check the tire tread depth. Ideally, your tire tread should have an average depth of at least 2/32". Any lower than 4/32" and you definitely have to change your tires. 

While you're at it, consider swapping all season tires for specialized winter ones if you’ll be traveling in particularly harsh weather conditions, where roads are likely to be covered in snow or ice. 

Put Together a Winter Emergency Kit

You may have taken the necessary steps towards getting your car winter-ready, but you can't always eliminate a breakdown from happening altogether. It pays to be proactive and put together a winter emergency kit. That way, you’re better prepared to deal with any roadside breakdowns. Breakdowns can happen at any time throughout the year, but breaking down in the winter can be especially difficult if you find yourself without a proper emergency kit. 

A typical winter emergency kit consists of a few essentials such as extra oil, radiator fluid, and if you’ll be making long journeys through the countryside a spare full gas can or two. Also, you'll need a way to keep yourself warm if you find yourself suddenly stuck on the side of the road. Keeping your car running means you'll eventually run out of gas or you’ll drain the battery, so throw an extra blanket or two in the trunk, along with some gloves and a warm hat. Keep a flashlight close by, just in case you want to check under the hood or signal oncoming cars. An extra USB car charger will come in handy to keep your phone charged up and call for help. Things like jumper cables, a shovel, and a first aid kit are also crucial.

Final Words

Winter can be a gloomy season for your vehicle if you don't take the necessary precautions to get it ready. Changing weather comes with its own set of problems which can affect the performance of your car. As a prudent and responsible driver, it's important to check your battery performance and tire pressure. Also, replace your tires and wipers when necessary. Don’t forget to lubricate your vehicle’s moving parts and put together your winter breakdown kit. Doing this ensures your car rises to the challenge of the winter months, functioning effectively and safely throughout the whole season.