AS winter finally begins to bite, now is the time to make sure both you and your car are as well prepared as possible for the colder months ahead. There are things you can check yourself at home.
Tyres are so important, especially in the winter, so get into the habit of checking your tyre pressure every few weeks. The fluctuating temperatures of the colder months, from relatively mild to freezing cold and back again, wreaks havoc on rubber, causing it to shrink and expand. This process can lead to splits in the tyres which can be seriously bad news for you and your passengers. You’ll find the correct pressure for your tyre on the inside of the door pillars or on your fuel cap.
Wiper blades are one of the hardest working and yet most undervalued components of any car, so they need a bit of TLC too! Wiper blades are vulnerable to weather damage – be particularly on the lookout for cracks or other signs of wear and tear, and replace once a year regardless.
Check all the fluid levels in your car – oil, antifreeze, brake and power steering fluids, and screen wash – on a regular basis. Checking your engine oil regularly, and topping up as required, will help keep your engine lubricated and performing at its best. Antifreeze protects your engine from extremely cold temperatures, preventing engine fluids from freezing, expanding, and causing serious damage. In general, you should check your screen wash or washer fluid level every two weeks, more frequently in wintertime. And be sure to use a winter screen wash with a higher alcohol concentration to stop your screen wash from freezing.
Next, check all your lights are working. Fully functioning headlights, brake lights, fog lights, indicators and hazard lights are essential for your safety and the safety of other road users, so it’s vital to check them before any long journey, and regularly during the winter. Not only is it illegal to drive without working headlights, it’s also an automatic MOT fail if you have any blown bulbs. Give them a regular clean in the winter months, too.
Make sure you’ve got more than enough fuel for your journey, ignore the warning light at your peril!
Now some winter checks for your garage to do. Early winter is a great time to book your car in for a service before the coldest temperatures set in. Here’s what the garage should focus on.
Battery. Did you know that battery failure is the biggest cause of breakdowns? If your car is more than five years old it requires more regular monitoring, so no better time than now to have it professionally checked.
Brakes. Worn brake pads can lead to poor stopping distances and can seriously impact your braking ability. This is bad news at any time, but never more so than in challenging wintry conditions.
Air-conditioning. Now this may sound odd, but it’s worth ensuring that your air con works as air conditioning systems function like dehumidifiers in wintertime, efficiently demisting the windscreen.
Finally, before you head off on any journey this winter, whether dashing to the shops or driving to the other end of the country, be sure you have the following essentials in the car, just in case: Ice-scraper, torch, warm clothes (blanket, gloves, hat), phone charger, map (in case your phone fails), bottled water and snacks, first-aid kit, jump leads, and a warning triangle. Fail to plan, plan to fail – you know it makes sense.
