Bitter cold weather with freezing temperatures and even some ice on less traveled roads is normal in January.
With conditions like these, your car’s performance and your safety could be at risk if you’re not prepared. To avoid being stranded in the cold, experts urge you to take a few steps to winterize your car.
Start by testing your car battery, which can struggle in low temperatures, check your tire pressure as it can drop as the temperatures fall, and ensure your tread depth is sufficient for snowy roads. Anti-freeze levels and having de-icer products are also key.
“You can have frozen doors, windshield wipers fluid would freeze,” Kevin Gore, battery technician, AAA, said. “Mainly what I’ve been seeing is frozen doors, I’ve seen frozen batteries. For frozen locks, they have de-icer you can spray on your locks and doors to unthaw them.”
Also important to remember is proper coolant-water mix protects your engine from freezing, while a water repellent on windows can make ice scraping much easier.
Don’t overlook your brakes either — get them inspected before slippery roads test their reliability.
Finally, stock a winter emergency kit with essentials like blankets, water and jumper cables.
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