Winter is
on it's way so you need to make sure your car is ready. You don't want to have
to work on the car in the middle of a snow storm so start preparing now.
- Tires, make sure you have good tires with lot's of tread and check the
pressures. Remember, you want to run lower tire pressures in the winter.
- Windows and doors, use silicone spray on all of your door seals and window
guide felts so they don't freeze shut. The guides should be done all year round
so the window goes up and down easier and takes the load off of the 131f510b elecric
motor. Lube your locks with a graphite lube as well, ever have to use a lighter
on your key in the dead of winter. I also remove the outer door handles and
lube the mechanisms with a silicone based grease to stop the handles from
freezing.
- Washer fluid & wiper blades, use winter premixed washer fluid, it uses a
different formula from the summer stuff and doesn't freeze. Use those ugly
rubber coated winter wiper blades, they work really well. Wiper blades should
be changed every three of four months depending on how much you use them. The
rubber always asorbs oil from the road and they smear a lot.
- Battery, make sure you have a good battery and it is filled with acid. If any
of the cells are low then top them up with distilled water. Batteries don't
like to be abused, they can die quite quickly.
- Anti-freeze, if you can't remember the last time it has been changed then now
is the time to do it. Antifreeze breaks down over time and has a servicable
life span. It should be changed every 2 years or 48,000 kms, I believe G12 is
longer life but I still change it every 2 years. I always mix it at a 50 : 50
ratio even though it doesn't get that cold in Vancouver.
- Brake fluid, brake fluid needs to be changed every 2 years / 48,000 kms as
well. It is hygroscopic in nature and this means that it absorbs water. You can
see where this is going, water and winter don't mix.
- Tune-up items, winter is really hard on cars so make sure you have the car
tuned so you don't get stranded. There is also much moisture which can play
havok on weak components or those leaking hi-tension leads.
- De-fogging & rain away, some people swear by these products for removing
rain and moisture. I've read that some products like rain-away break down the silicone
in the glass but it does work well.
- Lights, make sure all of the lights on the car are working properly. Also,
make it a habit to turn the lights on using the switch (don't forget to turn
them off though). The headlights only work at 80 - 90 % strength using DRL's
and the high-beams won't work without the switch on.
- A/C, those of us with the newer style interiors, don't forget to use the A/C
when defrosting. The A/C works as a really good dehumidifier. Everybody should
use the A/C once or twice a month to make sure the system is still operational
and also helps things from siezing.
- Safety, always have a blanket and a phone with you as well. You don't want to
get stuck somewhere & freeze. If the car dies somewhere, make sure it is in
a safe spot or just leave it and get away from it. Levels of traction are
always reduced in the winter and this means longer stopping distances. People
can't see you as well and reaction times are always reduced so take care.
Things like BCAA or some sort of roadside assistance plans are cheap and well
worth the money as soon as you need it.
