Tips To Prepare Your Vehicle For Winter

You Are Wearing Your Snow Boots… But What About Your Car?

Your tires need winter traction to help keep your vehicle on the road.
Goodyear’s award-winning Assurance® and Fortera® featuring TripleTred Technology® have three unique tread zones – ice, wet and dry – to help handle any weather.
In particularly cold and snowy climates, drivers should consider investing in winter tires.
For every 10-degree decrease in outside temperature, tire air pressure drops by 1-2 pounds. It’s important to check your air pressure regularly to avoid underinflation, lower fuel economy, poor performance and premature wear.

See Your Way Through The Storm.

Don't wait until the first snowfall to find out your windshield wipers don't work.
Put jackets over your existing wipers to get them ready for winter. This way, they won't fill up with snow and ice, and the blade will glide snug against the windshield.
Fill your reservoirs with deicer windshield washer fluid to help prevent freezing or hazing during cold days.
Make sure your defroster and heater are working properly, so you can see clearly, even when it snows.

Don’t Get Stuck Without Enough Juice.

Extreme winter cold can weaken car batteries.
The chemical reactions inside car batteries weaken as the temperature drops, causing the engine to crank slower.
At zero degrees, a car battery loses about 60 percent of its strength.
Get your battery tested now by a qualified mechanic to help avoid a dead battery on a cold day.

Blended Is Better With Ice.

Conventional motor oils tend to thicken and become sluggish in cold weather.
If you drive in a particularly cold climate, consider switching to a synthetic blend to keep your motor oil from getting thick in freezing temperatures.
Synthetic blends have been shown to move through the engine three times faster than conventional oil, and reduce the amount of torque required to turn the engine over. This can cause less strain on an already weakened battery.

Stay Half Full.

Keeping your gas tank at least half full during the winter helps decrease the chances of moisture forming in the gas lines and possibly freezing.
Moisture and frozen gas lines hinder vehicle performance and could cause your car to stall – the last thing you need when the weather is cold.

It May Be Time To Flush.

Check your antifreeze before the temperature falls, and flush the entire system if necessary.
The same antifreeze that keeps your engine from boiling over in the summer will help protect your engine coolant from freezing.
Antifreeze can lower the freezing point of the coolant to -34 degrees F.

Tighten Your Belts.

Making sure your car engine belts are tight and secure is an easy way to avoid winter breakdowns.
You should also have a qualified mechanic examine the belts for signs of cracking and wear.

Be Clean.

Protect your investment by frequently washing and polishing your vehicle with quality cleaners and waxes.
Consistent cleaning clears away the buildup of damaging chemicals and dirt that may attack your car's finish.
If road salt is used in your area during winter months, frequent washing can also reduce its corrosive effects.

Be Prepared.

Store a few everyday items in your car to help get back on the road if you get stuck in snow or ice.
An ice scraper and a snow shovel can help you clear snow and ice away from your tires.
Kitty litter spread around the tires can help you gain traction.
Snow boots will help prevent you from losing your footing.
Extra clothes, like hats, gloves and jackets can keep you warm while working in frigid conditions.
Other items you may want to keep on hand include a flashlight, blanket, lighter, bottled water, snacks, medication, cell phone and charger.