4 Simple Steps to Winterizing Your Car

Monday, we winterized our homes. I’m sure we have completed all 7 steps by now. So we are moving forward. Today we will winterize our cars. Emergency car repairs can be terrible and expensive. No one wants the front-wheel-drive slay breaking down on the way to grandma’s house. So to prevent these uncontrollable costs, it is important to be proactive. Don’t wait until it is too late.

There are 4 key items to focus on when winterizing our cars:

1. Tires & Tire Pressure: I thought we would start with the easy ones. If you have tired tires, you should definitely consider replacing them before the winter show & ice storms hit. We are driving, not sledding. Traction is key. Additionally, it is important to check your tire pressure. As the seasons and temperatures change, so will your tire pressure. Proper tire pressure has a significant effect on your gas mileage and the length of your tire life.
2. Brakes: Your brakes are also worth checking. If you are a religious record keeper, it might be as easy as checking your paperwork. If you are not as organized, that is ok too. Brakes are good about telling you when they need to be changed (i.e. grinding, squeaking, or violent shaking). It is normally pretty easy to tell. If you still have your questions, a trusted mechanic can quickly check them for you.
3. Winter Fluids: There are two important fluids to check when the temperature drops: washer fluid & anti freeze. First, windshield washer fluid. There is a winter washer fluid that has a chemical additive that keeps it from freezing. This is a must if you live in colder climates. Otherwise the fluid will freeze and the reservoir will bust like a coke in the freezer. Second, anti freeze. Your cars radiator keeps your engine cool. There is liquid that runs through the radiator that aids in the cooling process. In the winter, you need to mix anti freeze with that liquid, to keep it from freezing. This is also very important. Otherwise you radiator will freeze and bust – and that could be expensive. Both of these fluids are available at your local auto parts store. If you go at a slow time, you can probably get an employee of the auto parts store to assist you in topping off your fluids.
4. The Necessities: Just in case everything goes to pot, you  may want to keep a survival pack in your car. Buy keeping a bag filled with blankets, foot, bottled water, and any other necessities, you can keep Murphy out of your life and out of your garage.

This holiday season, avoid a Christmas disaster by spending a few bucks winterizing your car. You will be glad you did.