As winter sets in, it is important to ensure your car is ready for the challenges colder weather brings. From icy roads to freezing temperatures, winter can take a toll on your vehicle. Proper preparation is key to avoiding breakdowns, ensuring safety, and improving performance during these harsh months. Simple yet essential tasks like checking tyre pressure, inspecting the battery, and ensuring your wiper blades are in good condition can make a big difference. By taking a few proactive steps, you can avoid common winter driving issues and extend the life of your car. Here are the top 5 car care tips to help you navigate the winter season with confidence and keep your vehicle running smoothly.
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Pre-Season Inspection
A simple yet valuable winter car care tip is to get your car inspected at an authorised service centre before the weather turns. While this is not specifically a winter-related task, it is particularly important in regions with severe cold. Extreme weather can lead to more vehicle issues, so having a thorough check-up of key components before the season begins can help avoid potential problems. This proactive approach ensures your car remains in good working condition and reduces the likelihood of unexpected breakdowns during the colder months.
Examining the Car Lights
Besides low temperatures, fog is another factor to keep in mind for winter car maintenance, particularly in northern India where fog is more common. The primary challenge fog presents is reduced visibility, so you need to ensure that your car’s taillights, headlights, turn signals, and reverse lights are functioning correctly. Fog lamps, which are more effective than regular headlights in such conditions, are key to navigating through dense fog. While many newer vehicles have front fog lamps, rear fog lamps are also becoming more widespread. If your car is older and lacks these features, installing aftermarket fog lamps can be a wise decision, especially if you live in regions frequently affected by fog.
Maintaining Battery Health
While high temperatures in summer are notorious for damaging car batteries, the winter season can cause problems differently. If your battery is already weak or nearly drained, it is more likely to fail in colder weather. The distilled water inside the battery is essential for its chemical reactions, but if it freezes, it can cause irreversible damage. Common symptoms of a failing battery include difficulty starting the car, dim or flickering lights, and malfunctioning cabin lights or audio systems. However, these issues may also be caused by loose connections. It is advisable to have a professional mechanic check the battery and connections to ensure everything is functioning properly.
Frequent Tyre Pressure Checks
One of the most important winter car care tips is monitoring your tyre pressure. Air expands when heated and contracts when cooled, which affects tyre pressure. In colder months, tyre pressure naturally decreases, and in warmer weather, it increases. This means it is essential to check the pressure level more frequently during winter. Low tyre pressure can severely impact your vehicle’s performance, so always ensure your car's tyres are inflated to the recommended levels for safe and efficient driving. Additionally, examine the tread depth to check for any signs of wear.
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Monitoring Antifreeze Levels
Another crucial winter tip involves the coolant, often recognised by its green colour. While it helps cool the engine during summer, it also plays an important role in winter. The coolant acts as an antifreeze in cold weather, preventing the engine from freezing. This fluid helps regulate the engine’s temperature year-round, so it becomes vital to check the antifreeze levels to ensure they are sufficient for winter conditions.
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