Winter is almost upon us which means chilly days, freezing cold nights, lots of rain, and the occasional bit of frost and hail. But what does this mean for your car during winter motoring?
BATTERY
Most breakdowns in winter are caused by battery and electrical issues as this is the time when your electrical components are working the hardest.
Check the terminals on your battery to make sure they are clean and not corroded. A good way to avoid a build up of corrosion is to use petroleum jelly. If there is already some build up you can generally wipe it away with a cloth.
If you’re having any issues with your battery you can have it tested or purchase a new one.
LIGHTS
Heavy rain makes winter motoring difficult to see other drivers on the road, so you don’t want to be caught without head lights or brake lights. Make sure you check all the globes are working properly. In may even pay to have some spare globes in your glove box just in case.
Also check for any cracks in the light covers as water can seep in and corrode the components.
WINDSCREEN AND WIPERS
Make sure you have good windscreen wipers! If your wipers are cracked or disintegrating, they will not effectively push the water off your windscreen resulting in very poor visibility.
You will also need to make sure you have windscreen cleaner in your reservoir bottle and its filled to the proper level.
Check your windscreen for any cracks, damage or leakage around the edges.
TYRES
As you have read in our previous tyre care blog, tyres are one of the most important parts of the car as it is all that is between us and the road.
Make sure your tyres are correctly inflated and have sufficient tread (no less then 1.5mm) across the whole tyre. If you don’t have any tread, your tyres will not disperse the water on the road meaning the tyre cannot get grip and leave you sliding or unable to brake properly.
HEATERS
There will be nothing worse than jumping in your vehicle in the morning and being unable to warm up because your heater doesn’t work!! Make sure you check this is working and if not you should book into your local service centre.
You will also want to make sure you check the gas in your aircon for defrosting your windows in the morning.
PUT YOUR CAR UNDERCOVER
If possible it is better to have your car in a garage to stop any dampness rising from the lawn. Condensation can cause engine and ignition problems and also rust to your bonnet.
Having your car in the garage will also keep frost off your windscreen and windows.
These are just a few simple things you can do to keep your car in tip top shape over the winter period and save you from any expensive hassles in the long run.
