– By #Pioneer Auto Show
Winter has officially come and the snow has started flying. That can only mean one thing: it’s time to winterize not only your house, but your car as well. Winter car maintenance is crucial to ensuring a long life for your car, whether its old or new, but especially old cars need specific care to make sure they’re winterized. Here are a few car care tips to ensure your car is ready for the harsh South Dakota winter ahead.
Keep your car clear of debris
As the leaves start to fall, they can often gather on top of cars, which makes it very easy for those leaves and twigs to gather under the hood of your car. The air plenum under the windshield is a common place where this will happen. This can cause a lot of damage to your engine, so be sure when you’re performing your winter car maintenance routine, to clear out all leaves and twigs that may have gathered under the hood and add them to your compost pile for your garden instead.
Check the tires
Air pressure tends to go down in tires in the winter, so one of our best car care tips is to ensure that your tires are properly filled with air. Tires loose a pound of air for every 10-degree drop. If your car needs them, putting winter tires on your car that can properly handle the snow may be the best option for winter car maintenance. Being able to get around safely is the number one priority in the winter, and having proper tires is key to that.
Check your windshield wipers and lights
Being able to see while driving in a snow storm is crucial to yours and others’ safety. Your winter car maintenance routine should include checking your windshield wipers to make sure they work properly. Also be sure to wax your headlights to make sure they can properly cut through the snow and the darkness to all you to see.
Check your battery
It is crucial that your battery is left in proper working condition when going into winter. Checking the battery is the key to winter car maintenance. While wearing eye protection and rubber gloves, scrape corrosion away from posts and cable connections, while also cleaning all surfaces and check the tightness of all connections. Check the fluid level to ensure it’s where it needs to be.
Winter car care tips like these are crucial to ensure that your car is left in perfect working condition through the falling temperatures. Perform a regular winter car maintenance routine to ensure your car is left in good condition.
Last Modified: