6 Vehicle Fixes You Need to Make Immediately for Your Car to Survive Winter
1) Fix or replace your tires.
The rubber on your tires is the only component of your vehicle that actually touches the road. If your tires are worn or out of balance, you could be set up for problems even in the best conditions. You need extra steering and stopping power if the road is snow covered or icy. If your tires are not ready for the season, they could lead your car to disaster. Replace your tires or have them rotated and balanced immediately, before winter weather strikes.
2) You need to replace your antifreeze.
Coolant is a mixture of antifreeze and water. During the warmer months, coolant keeps your engine from overheating. When the mercury dips into the teens and 20s, antifreeze keeps the coolant from freezing. If your radiator is low in antifreeze, ice can build up in your radiator and actually cause your engine to overheat. This can destroy your heater core, radiator, and even damage your engine. Make sure your antifreeze is ready to go for winter.
3) Fix your brakes.
You may think of your car as something that helps you go from one place to another, but it is a dangerous piece of machinery if it cannot stop. That is true any time of the year, but in winter you need more brakes, not less. If there is even the slightest amount of snow or ice on the road, you will need to give yourself more time to stop, and you need all the braking power possible. Make sure your brake pads, rotors, lines, and brake fluid is ready to get you through the winter season.
4) Replace your windshield wiper blades.
Winter is a time when there can be all sorts of stuff on the road. In addition to the dirt, oil, and gravel that is always present on the asphalt, road crews use a mixture of salt and brine to help prevent water from freezing. When the road is wet, that solution will coat your windshield with a slimy film that can significantly reduce your visibility. You need your windshield wiper blades to be in tiptop shape if you are going to see down the road as you travel through North Carolina during winter.
5) Suspension repair is a necessity.
The condition of your suspension is as important as your tires for the way your vehicle handles. In winter, when you need all the help you can get, it is vital to make sure your suspension is read for potential snow and ice. If your shocks and struts are worn out, you could be dealing with handling issues that could send your car spinning and winter weather.
6) Maintain your power steering.
If there is an issue with your power steering that is causing it to malfunction, you could be in a real bind if you hit a patch of snow or ice. You need all the steering help you can get even when the road is dry, so before winter weather exasperates your power steering issues, bring your car to Jody’s Automotive today.
If you need help making repairs to your automobile so that it will survive the winter here in Elkin and Jonesville, North Carolina, bring your car to the team here at Jody‘s. We can help you give your car the best shot at surviving the entire winter here in the foothills.