Approximation of cold weather is not just an excuse to “re-brush” the rubber on the car; it’s time to prepare a car for winter. So, having passed a seasonal car maintenance for an hour and/or doing other preparatory work, you can protect the car from the risk of serious malfunctions, and also protect yourself and your passengers even in difficult driving conditions.
Ideally, even in the middle of autumn or before the onset of a severe cold, you need to perform simple checks, and, if necessary, replace individual consumables. To do this is recommended as the owners of already old cars produced by the domestic auto industry, and the owners still have enough new foreign cars.
How to prepare a car for winter, we will tell about this material. then it may take an hour. In any case, the time spent will help save money and nerve cells.
What are adjust to prepare a car for winter
All motorists know that when approaching the average daily air temperature on the street to the zero marks, you must “re-boot” your iron horse. Oil change is necessary in cases when all-season lubricating fluids are not used. And then it is better to do this procedure beforehand (to frosts) so that the attempt to help the power unit does not lead to opposite results. Someone remembers about for the washer glass. But these procedures are not all the necessary minimum.
Here is a list of what needs to be checked and adjust to prepare a car for winter :
- Headlights or rather their light. The quality of the glow, especially the normal cut-off line is extremely important when driving in the dark, with snowfall and glare from the snowy road surface. Therefore, it is worthwhile to call on the service station and adjust the auto-light.
- His role in the winter time increases, so you need to make sure that there will be no problems with starting the engine in a severe frost. Modern batteries are unattended, so “training exercises” and other tricks of no use will not. The basic check is simple – you need to measure the current, and if the indicator does not meet the standards, the battery should be replaced. The standard replacement interval is every 3 years.
- Brake system. The importance of qualitatively adjusted brakes when driving on a slippery surface increases many times. Therefore, it is necessary to check both the work of ABS (if any) and the quality of the pads. They directly affect the balance of braking forces and can lead to drifts. If necessary, the pads change.
- The windshield and brushes on them. Ideal – to change the wiper blades every six months, so that they effectively perform their functions and provide good visibility. It is also better to cleanse thoroughly of dirt and eliminate distortion on the windshield itself – on both sides.
- In winter, it is extremely important, since not only allows a little heat salon but also to eliminate fogging and icing of the windows. Check the work of the stove better before the cold, to eliminate the trouble in advance.
- Cooling system. Minimally necessary adjustments and checks – evaluation of the tightness of the nozzles and the transfer of the radiator flaps to the “winter” position (if this is provided in your car).
Consumables
Another important point to prepare a car for winter is the replacement of consumables. Here that it is necessary to change that in the winter it was not necessary to be spent additionally on repair or to test discomfort at car operation:
- Lubricating motor fluid to change for the winter today is not for everyone. If the all-season composition is used, the procedure is performed only in accordance with the planned maintenance. But in addition to engine oil, there are consumables for the transmission and other components, which should be checked before winter. For cold conditions, low viscosity lubricants are suitable;
- Liquid for glass washer. If water or a composition that is afraid of negative temperatures is used, it is necessary to pour “frost-free” in the fall;
- Brake fluid. It is to be replaced every two years, otherwise, it will lose its properties;
- Cooling fluid before the onset of winter is checked, and if necessary – add. Modern compounds can be very different, so you need to navigate the color of the antifreeze fluid.
Additional specialty materials for the winter can be special paintwork for the body. It’s about cars without galvanizing. Just before winter, such a body must be specially treated with an anti-corrosion compound – the bottom, arches, the main hidden cavities. As a rule, one treatment is enough for 1-2 years.
What is better to buy for the winter in the trunk:
- A convenient brush-scraper for removing frost on the windows;
- Special rugs that will protect against thawed snow;
- a spatula with a telescopic handle (fit in the luggage compartment and help clear the snow slump);
- Special fluids for removing ice at the keyhole and compositions that accelerate the melting of ice under the wheels.
About Author
