• Check my Vehicle Repair Status
• Request Estimate

Winter Driving Tips

Published Tuesday, December 1, 2009 7:00 am
by Teresa Russel

1.  If your car needs regular service, get it done now.  Nothing's a big deal in the summer, but breaking down when it's 10 below certainly is!

2.  Check your tire pressure.  Tire pressure drops by about one pound per ten degrees of temperature, so if you haven't checked it since July, it's time!

3.  Make sure your battery and charging system are up to snuff.

4.  Check the cooling system.

5.  If you have leaks in the cooling system, take care of them now.

6.  Make sure your windshield wipers are in good shape.

7.  Keep your gas tank close to full.  In the summer, you can take a chance and run down to fumes, but in the winter, if you do get stranded, the engine may be your only source of heat.

8.  Make sure your windshield washer reservoir is full.

9.  If you live somewhere really cold, think about adding a block heater to your engine.

10.  Make sure your rear-window defroster works.  In many states, the law requires that ALL of your windows be clear before you hit the road.

11.  Make sure you have some basic supplies in your car in case you do get stuck.

12.  When driving in the snow, do everything slowly.

13.  If you're thinking about a new car, think about safety features that will help in lousy weather.

 Check out www.cartalk.com for the complete list of winter driving tips.