If you want to make sure you’re covered in the event of an emergency, call your local Acceptance agent to discuss coverage options and roadside assistance today. So there you have it, six simple steps to make sure your vehicle is protected during the harsh winter months. You can use an antifreeze tester or take your vehicle to a mechanic to measure the antifreeze’s strength and determine the lowest temperature that your engine is protected from freezing. Antifreeze uses either ethylene glycol or propylene glycol to prevent the water in your engine’s cooling system from freezing. Check Your AntifreezeĪntifreeze is one of the most important chemicals when it comes to caring for your vehicle in the winter.
It’s also important to make sure your windshield wipers are good, and you have plenty of deicing fluid in your windshield washer tank. If any of your lights appear dim or yellow, replace the bulb and clean the lenses. Make sure all of your lights are working. Depending on the average snowfall where you live, you may want to consider getting a set of snow tires for the winter. If you spot a problem, get your technician to take a look.
Visually inspect them for cracks, bulges and leaks, which can form in temperature fluctuations. If your tires don’t have sufficient depth, you may not have the traction needed to stay safe on the road. Top up with winter-grade washer fluidit won’t freeze in the reservoir and damage hoses when below-zero temps hit. Take a look at your tires and replace them if needed. You battery will be working harder during the colder months so it’s important to keep a check on it throughout winter. Test your battery and replace it if necessary.
Heat can take a serious toll on batteries and unfortunately, we are often unaware until cold weather strikes. Why does this matter? Synthetic flows freer and requires no time to warm up which can provide immediate protection to your engine during the harsh winter months. We often forget the importance of oil when it comes to winter vehicle maintenance, but this is a good time to make sure you’ve got fresh oil and consider making the change to synthetic or synthetic blend oil. Once clean, apply a quality wax to your vehicle to help protect against the snow and road salt coming your way. Give your car a good wash to scrub away the buildup that may have occurred during the summer and fall months.