It’s winter here and mother nature has really been throwing the nation through storm after storm. We seem to be in a little bit of a lull so now is the perfect time to regroup and make sure you are ready for the next wave. I have a feeling that this winter is going to be full of storms and I know I want to be prepared. Now is the perfect time to go through our Dodge Journey and make a trip to the dealership to make sure everything is in order with our routine maintenance and to ensure there are no needed repairs. But beyond that, I’m also taking a look through our Journey and making sure it’s fully stocked and ready for what mother nature may throw at us.
Cell Phone Chargers
Having a phone charger in your vehicle is a must year-round but in the winter I make sure that I have one at all times. We live in a somewhat rural area so many of the roads are 2 lanes and some not traveled much. If I were to slide off the road or have car trouble I would need a phone to call for assistance. Having a phone charger in my Journey is a must for me. I also try to keep a spare battery pack with me when I’m traveling during the winter as well. That way I know I will always have access to charge my phone.
Car Emergency Kit
Now is the time to make sure that car emergency kit is in your vehicle and that it is fully stocked. Are the jumper cables free of rust and cracks? Are they stored properly? Is there a flashlight in the kit? Are the batteries still working? Are there road flares? Take everything out of your emergency kit and check it over. Make sure nothing is expired, if it is, replace it. If items are missing, replace them. You don’t want to find out your emergency kit is empty when you need it.
Windshield Wiper Fluid for Low Temps and Ice
This is a must, especially when we get those crazy temps and we pop into the 40s during the day and drop below freezing as soon as the sun goes down. I switch to a windshield wiper fluid that is designed for lower temperatures and can help de-ice my windshield if needed. When the roads are slushy the road spray will cause you to go through windshield wiper fluid. Another downfall of winter is that your windshield wiper fluid can freeze in your lines so that is why I switch to the lower temperature fluid in the fall. This helps to prevent the lines from freezing so when I do need windshield wiper fluid I don’t have to worry about it being frozen.
Blankets and Warm Clothes
Every fall, usually right after Halloween, I put a few blankets, spare hats, mittens and some of those hand warmer packets in the backseat of my car. You never know when you may get stuck by the side of the road and you may need a blanket to keep warm while you wait for a tow truck. Or maybe you forgot your gloves but you need to scrape the windows, now you have a spare set in the backseat! I always try to make sure we have enough for my daughter, myself and 2 other people in our backseat during the colder temperatures.
Ice Scrapers
Speaking of scraping ice, you’ll want to make sure you have an ice scraper in your vehicle as well. I take mine out of the Journey every spring to make sure it doesn’t get lost or broken during the craziness of summer so I have to remember to grab it out of the garage and put it back in my Journey. I prefer an ice scraper that has a long handle or one that I can adjust. I’m on the shorter side so being able to reach all the way across the windshield can be a challenge.
Another tip I’ll share if you know there is going to be an ice storm or snowstorm and you must park your vehicle outside pull the windshield wipers up. This will make getting all the snow and ice off your windshield easier plus your wipers will not be frozen to the glass. This helps a ton. It’s something I always try to do.
These are just a few items that I make sure are in my Dodge Journey every fall to prepare for the winter weather that may be coming.
You must be logged in to post a comment.