Winter Car Maintenance

Few items to check to be sure you're not stuck out in winter:

1) Check your belts and hoses for wear, and replace any that are showing signs of aging.

2) Flush your cooling system, and replace with a 50/50 mixture of anti-freeze and water.

3) Clean your battery posts and terminals, and check the battery water level. If your car has battery clips (pretty standard on newer cars) instead of good terminals, consider switching those out. Also, if your battery is over 4 - 4 1/2 years old, consider replacing that now as well.

4) Check your heater and defroster to be sure they are functioning properly. If you notice your engine's temperature guage dips too much when turning on your heater, have your thermostat checked.

5) Make sure your tires are properly inflated. The cold weather will lower your tire pressure. Also, check the tire pressure in your spare tire, and make sure you have the equipment needed to change a tire if needed.

6) Keep your gas tank as full as possible. This will prevent freezing in your gas lines.

7) Check your windshield washer fluid. Avoid using water only, as it will freeze.

8) A decent tune up wouldn't hurt anything either.

Prepare an emergency kit for your trunk which includes a working flashlight (extra batteries are a good idea too!,) blanket, tool kit, jumper cables, ice scraper, gloves, reflective triangles or flares, a bag of hard candy, and a first aid kit. A bag of kitty litter comes in handy for icy situations, and a small snow shovel will help in heavy snow conditions.

If you become stranded for a long period of time...

a) Do NOT leave your car unless you know exactly where you are, and exactly where you can go in order to improve your situation.

b) Use flares or reflective triangles to draw attention, or a bright cloth hanging from your antenna will work.

c) To keep warm, use blankets, and depending on the amount of gas in your car, run the heater for 10 minutes or so every hour. Make sure your exhaust pipe is not blocked!

d) In heavy snow and ice conditions, leave a window slightly cracked to avoid getting sealed in.

e) Use that bag of hard candy in your emergency kit to keep your mouth moist.