If you live in a cold climate, you have to winterize your car to keep it running smoothly all year long. Winterizing your car involves some steps that ensure that your engine will withstand the freezing temperatures and prevent key components from becoming damaged by the cold. Here are some tips on how to winterize your vehicle for the cold and snowy months.
1. Clean Out Your Car’s Interior
The best way to winterize a car is by washing and waxing the exterior of your car. This will ensure that any water doesn’t freeze inside the seats or floorboards and lead to rusting and rotting. You also don’t want any dirt getting into your engine and causing problems like clogged air filters. Keeping your engine clean can help reduce wear and tear on the engine and keep it running smoothly throughout the season.
2. Replace Your Wipers
Many people don’t realize that when temperatures drop below freezing, windshield wipers become ineffective at clearing water and snow from the windshield. This can make it hard to see the road ahead of you. By switching out your wiper blades with special winter wiper blades explicitly designed to withstand freezing temperatures, you’ll be able to see clearly through all types of weather. Since winter wiper blades are made with rubber that grips better as it gets colder, they will also do a better job clearing away ice and snow than traditional blades. However, the wipers don’t work by themselves, and you may still need to scrape the windshield before setting out on a long drive.
3. Check Your Tires
Ensure there’s enough tread and that the treads are all the same depth. If there are any issues with your tires, you’ll want to get them fixed immediately before the cold weather sets in.
4. Check Your Car’s Oil
Too little oil in your engine can cause your car to overheat or seize up in frigid weather. If you are worried that you might be low on oil, there are some quick tests you can perform at home with a dipstick. If the oil is past its prime, it will appear thinner than usual and smell like gasoline. While this isn’t always the case, if your oil smells stronger than usual, it is probably time to look into replacing it.
5. Have Enough Antifreeze in Your Radiator
The amount of antifreeze needed depends on several factors, including your climate and how cold it gets where you live. There are various methods for getting antifreeze in there, and most dealerships will have different offerings depending on what they think will work best for your vehicle.
With these steps, you don’t have to worry about how to winterize your car anymore. If done correctly, the car will start on even the coldest days. If you have any questions about winterizing your car, our staff at our Massachusetts salvage yard would be happy to help you.