The colder months of the year can bring around some unwanted car troubles. If you have noticed that there are a few extra struggles from your car in Winter, there are a few things you can do. We have put together a few tips to help improve the performance and safety of your car in Winter.
Service Your Vehicle
We know you probably hear this all the time, but we have to mention it again… service your car! Extreme weather conditions, (be it hot or cold) has a tendency to cause unseen problems with your car to come to the surface. Servicing your car is important to do all year round in order to prevent costly repairs. As a bonus, regular servicing can improve the efficiency of your vehicle and may also reduce environmental damage from your exhaust emissions. That’s a win for you and the planet!
Get Your Battery Tested
If there are any underlying problems with your car’s battery, you will find out soon enough in the colder weather. In Winter the battery of your car has to put more work in to get the engine to suck in the air and petrol. If your car seems sluggish to start on these colder mornings it’s best to get it tested out. Your local auto electrician should be able to run a test on your vehicle to make sure everything is running as it should. (We can do a FREE start & charge test at our workshop). It is also important to check all the connections to the battery and make sure there is no corrosion or damage.
Repair Windscreen Cracks
We recommend that you have a look at your windshield and make sure there are no cracks in it. Temperature changes during the colder months can result in existing cracks expanding. If you do notice a crack in your windscreen it is a good idea to get it repaired or replaced to avoid further damage (and a more costly repair bill).
Inspect Your Windscreen Wipers
Winter in our part of the world usually means fog, rain and dew. For your safety on the road, we recommend regularly inspecting your vehicle’s windscreen wipers. Look out for chips or cracks as these can prevent your wiper blades from working effectively in the wet weather. If you do notice any damage to the blades, replace them as soon as possible.
Check Your Tyres
Another thing to check is the condition of your tyres. When there is water or rain on the road can bring oils to the surface making roads more slippery and dangerous. It is important that you are checking the tread on your tyres before winter to make sure you have enough traction. If your tyres are worn down, you should replace them as soon as possible. Additionally, cold weather can also reduce your tyre pressures. If you haven’t checked the air pressure in your tyres since the cold weather kicked in, we recommend checking them at your earliest opportunity.
Do A Lights Check
The Winter weather in Queensland can bring around a lot of rain and fog, reducing your visibility on the road. For your safety and the safety of others on the road, you should make sure that your indicators, lights and fog lights are all working. You might need to recruit a friend to help you check. If you do find any lights not functioning properly, contact your local auto electrician to get it checked out. It might be as simple as a replacement bulb, but it could also indicate a blown fuse or electrical fault. The professionals will be able to tell the difference and provide a solution to fix it.
Caring for your car in Winter is important for many reasons, as we’ve stated above. You can prepare for this Winter season by doing a quick check over of your vehicle and even a service if needed.
If you have any questions regarding caring for your car in Winter, our specialised team at Accelerate Auto Electrics are more than happy to assist. Give us a call on 1300 227 353 or contact us online here!
Thanks for this article. I don’t normally read company’s blogs etc but this was timely.
Thanks Nathan, Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Hope these tips help you out this Winter.