Is Your Vehicle Ready for Winter?

Not only do we need to make sure our homes and family are ready to take on winter we also need to take the same care with our vehicles. Living in a colder climate means taking certain precautions before the first snowflake falls or the first temperature dip to ensure your family vehicle can ensure on-time arrival for your family at all your winter obligations.  Here is a checklist to help you get your vehicle ready for the winter.

Change Your Oil 

This one may seem like common sense but you’d be amazed at how easy it is to forget to pull into your local dealership and get your oil changed. I know for myself it’s one of the most forgotten to do things on my list. When the temperatures dip it may also be a good time to think about changing to synthetic oil, these typically hold up better at colder temperatures. Be sure to talk to your service technician on your next service appointment at the dealership. They can go over reasons you should change to synthetic.

Check Your Battery

Summer’s extreme heat takes a toll on your battery which may cause it to weaken. Now it’s winter and the extreme cold is adding extra stress as well. That can cause a battery to fail or freeze. Be sure to have your battery tested during that oil change to see if your battery is weak. If it is, change it. Trust me, you do not want to be sitting at the grocery store with a trunk full of groceries and a dead battery.

Change Your Wipers

I like to change my windshield wipers twice a year. Some may say that’s excessive but I rather spend the little amount of money to ensure I have complete visibility while I am on the road.  I always change mine in the spring and fall.

Check Your Headlights and Taillights

Winter driving often leads to a dirt and grime buildup on your headlights and taillights. Every time you fill your tank with gas be sure to clean those lights off. It takes just a few minutes but it will make a world of difference in being able to see the road. And cleaning those taillights off could mean the difference of the person behind you being able to see that you are slowing down or not.

Check Your Fluids

This is a great time to checks all those fluids. Make sure your antifreeze is at the correct level and doesn’t need to be flushed. Check for windshield wiper fluid levels and consider changing to a fluid that had a deicer component.

These are just a few tips to help get your vehicle ready for colder temperatures. Be sure to consult your owner’s manual and service technician to see what other precautions you should take.