Three Winter Car Care Tips
Posted on: 20 November 2015
The frigid temperatures and inclement weather that comes along with winter can truly push a car to its limits. Is your car up to the challenge? Equipping yourself with some of the ways to help protect your car this winter will help you keep your car in great shape all season long.
Look Over The Cooling System
A frozen cooling system can increase the chance of your engine overheating or leaking, both of which come along with costly repairs. Having a sufficient mixture of anti-freeze and water within the cooling system will prevent this type of scenario from occurring.
During the winter, a 50/50 mix is best; one half anti-freeze and the other half water. If you take your vehicle to a professional for oil changes, they should be doing this for you. If not, you either need to drain the fluid and refill it yourself or take it to a professional.
Practice Proper Snow Removal
Resist the urge to pick up anything you find to remove snow and ice from your auto glass. For snow removal, stick to smooth-edged plastic scrapers that have been design specifically for use on auto glass. Using a ragged-edged or metal scraper will increase the likelihood of you scratching the glass.
When removing ice, remember that slow and steady wins the race. Don't ever pour warm water on the glass. Cold glass is already under stress. The hot water will only put the glass in shock and cause it to crack. Lastly, if you have an existing crack in the glass, make sure you get it repaired right away as the extreme cold could actually cause it to shatter. Contact an auto glass repair company like Premiere Glass And Mirror to learn more.
Keep Fuel Topped Off
Winter isn't the time to take your chances and drive around on fumes for a number of different reasons. First, in the event you're stranded, if you don't have enough fuel to leave the car on, the only source of heat you will have is the engine.
Secondly, the more open space there is inside the tank, the more air that can enter in which increases the potential for moisture to form within the fuel lines. In low temps, this moisture can quickly freeze. Ideally, you should be trying to keep nearly a full tank of gas at all times.
Make sure you are taking care of your car this winter. Whether it's taking your vehicle in for mechanical repairs of having an auto glass repair specialist fix any cracks or other damages, the better care you take, the better it's prepared to withstand winter.
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