The world is already in the mid-winter and everybody is busy preparing the cars for the chills, snows, and frosts. Eventually, winter roads everywhere can be risky to drive and in case you were caught in a winter storm you may land in disaster if you and your car are not prepared. As a matter of fact, winterizing your vehicle requires a substantial amount of money and needs time.
You may have to visit the service center and do a thorough check-up including:
- Checking your coolant and battery
- Filling wiper fluid
- Checking the wiper blades and replacing them if required
- Checking and rechecking your tires and see whether they can withstand the winter or need replacement including checking the pressure
- Checking for oil
- Ensuring jeep wrangler led fog lights
- Ensuring winter-specific emergency kit and many more
There are numerous instances of people despite their good preparedness caught by surprise winter weather and ultimately became the victim of dangerous situations. Therefore, here is a checklist just to remind you for a perfect winter preparedness for yourself as well as for your car:
1. Check your tire and tire threads
Tires and tire tread wear are the most essential elements to check for winter preparedness. You need to check your tires for tread wear and ensure to rotate them every time you change the oil. You must be knowing the “penny test” to inspect the tire tread. Just take a penny and place the penny in the tread groove. Take care that Lincoln’s head is facing up or you. Now stick the penny inside the tread and see that Lincoln’s head is no more seen. If you discover that Lincoln’s head is fully visible then you need to replace the tires.
The second important aspect of taking care of the tires for the winter is to check for the pressure. Tires with inadequate pressure create potential threats for the winter. You need to visit a tire pressure technician and check the pressure of all your tires. However, if you have tire pressure knowledge then you can make use of the free facility for tire pressure checking at the local gas station and fill up your tires.
Another important consideration for you is the snow tires. If you belong to a mountainous locality or northern countries or frequently travel on those roads, then think of replacing your tires with snow tires. These areas usually have rough roads and often get heavy snow. Snow tires are the only alternatives for you in this terrain.
2. Check your heater and battery
Imagine you were stuck in the car while on a long drive and your heater does not work! Even if for a short journey your heater provides you a pleasant and comfortable drive. Therefore, never ignore or neglect to check your heater to not only avoid discomfort but can save your life.
Similarly, you need to necessarily check your battery because it goes down or its capacity reduces in the winter. The battery is an essential component and without that or with reduced power your car is bound to be affected adversely especially in the winter. Who knows, you might even endanger your life just because of your bad battery. Therefore, check with the overall health of your battery as well as the terminals for any damage or cracks. Inspect its fluids and ensure it is filled up to the top. Similarly, check with the cables and ensure that they are in good condition.
3. Check with your windshield, wiper, and wiper fluid
The windshield plays a key role in winter especially amidst snow or winter storm. If your windshield malfunctions then you have no other way but to stop and wait for the storm to stop or snow to seize which is not only impractical but dangerous. It is even life-threatening.
Therefore, check your windshield thoroughly and ensure that it is up to date. Importantly, think of replacing the wiper blades as blades do not last long. They have a life span of 6 months to one year. So, if you are not satisfied with the wiper blades get them replaced. You can search for heavy-duty wiper blades, especially for the winter.
Another important component in your windshield is the wiper fluid. The wiper fluids play a crucial role in keeping the windshield snow-free, ice-free, and salt-free. The fluid also helps the windshield from the mud. Ensure that the wiper fluid is freeze-resistant.
4. Never forget to check your brake system
Brake system is a lifesaver in any vehicle and the system suffers strain in winter than the rest of the seasons. Therefore, not only for winter preparedness but for all seasons your brake systems should be fit and up to date. Check your brake thoroughly at least two times in the winter.
Your rotors are prone to get rust spots due to winter moisture and salt. This eventually reduces the smooth functioning and effectiveness of your brake system. Remember, even if you started the winter with a good brake system you can never guarantee that they last the entire winter season.
5. Never keep the gas tank empty
Keeping the gas tank empty or half-empty is not wise because moisture builds up in the empty spaces of your gas tank especially in the winter. Eventually, the moisture can dilute the fuel and create strain in the pumps as well as other parts of your car. Secondly, when the moisture freezes it can result in much more substantial damages for your car. Therefore, try to keep your gas tank as much fuller as possible to resist empty spaces and build-up of moisture in the gas tank of your car.
Last but not the least, the light system both internal and external is crucial and important for your car especially for an unforeseen situation in the winter. Make sure that your internal light system is perfect and will never fail. Above all, check with your headlight and ensure LED fog lights to serve you excellently in the winter. If you want to buy headlights, Visit here.
