The winter months put your vehicle to the test. Automotive repairs and maintenance can fall by the wayside when temperatures are high and ice storms are not threatening the forecast, but the rest of the year can be challenging for some vehicles, especially those that have not been properly maintained. It’s important to winterize your vehicle to make sure that your vehicle is ready for whatever the season might have in store. Read on to find out the most important steps you can take to make sure that your commute goes smoothly into the holidays and the new year.
Check and replace tires as needed
Although Atlanta residents likely will not be shoveling snow this winter, getting your vehicle ready for the winter season is a necessity for all car owners. Ice presents a nasty problem for anyone, especially those of us on the road. While we can’t control conditions on the road, we can control how prepared we are for poor diving conditions. The best way to do that is to make sure that our tires are maintained and working properly.
Tread is the name of the game when evaluating a tire’s winter preparedness. When a tire reaches roughly 4/32 of an inch in the remaining tread, that tire needs a replacement. As a rule of thumb, simply insert a quarter into a tire’s groove, and if Lincoln’s head is fully visible, you have less than 4/32 of an inch of tread, and that tire should be replaced.
Bald tires are one of the easiest ways to get in an accident, especially when precipitation is heavier than usual. Any time that the level of standing water on the road is greater than the tread of your tires, hydroplaning is much more likely to occur. And there is no easier way to end up in an accident than losing the ability to direct and stop a vehicle, which is the case when hydroplaning occurs.
Of course, things like tire pressure are also key in ensuring that those tires are ready for winter. If they are regularly deflating, make sure to have them checked to ensure that they have not been punctured. Also, keep in mind that tire pressure falls with temperature. For every 10 degrees change in temperature, your tires will lose roughly 1 PSI; in short, check your tire pressure more often when it’s cold out. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 738 crashes occurred in 2017 in the US due to malfunctioning tires. Don’t let that be you: make sure that all of your vehicle’s tires are in the best of shape.
Ensure that you’re positioned for optimal visibility
Another acid test for the readiness of your vehicle for winter is whether it is set up for optimal visibility in poor weather conditions. A de-icer is a must-have when conditions turn sub-zero. Properly functioning wipers is also key.
Check to see if they are leaving streaks on the window, or if the blades show signs of cracking. These are giveaways that your wipers should be replaced. And, of course, working wipers should always be paired with proper levels of window washing fluid which contains an anti-freeze.
Have your vehicle inspected for the health of its…..
Vehicle inspection is another prudent measure to best winterize your vehicle. There are a variety of automotive problems that can be exacerbated or caused by cold and freezing weather.
…battery
One is battery health: the chemical reactions which start a car’s battery are slowed down in colder weather. As a result, it can be more difficult for the battery to start, especially one which was already in marginal health. A mechanic will be able to test your battery and decide if it needs to be changed. They will also be able to identify any corrosion surrounding the battery, something which will affect its performance in even the best of weather.
…belts and hoses
Another is the soundness of your engine’s belts and hoses. These will always function worse in freezing weather, and a belt that’s exhibiting signs of extreme wear will more likely snap when exposed to poor weather conditions. A technician will be able to identify any likely such culprits and might be able to fix something that would later otherwise leave you stranded on the highway.
…oil
A technician will also be able to identify the right type of oil for your car over the winter months. An oil’s viscosity will impact how effective it is in colder temperatures; your car might require a thinner, less viscous which might otherwise not function properly over the winter.
Winterize Your Vehicle at T3 Atlanta This Year
Winterize your vehicle at T3 Atlanta. Our team will be able to provide you with good, solid advice on how an Atlanta commuter can best prepare for the winter months so that they are not causing unnecessary damage to their vehicle or setting themselves up for dreaded “roadside assistance”. Our convenient Smyrna and Decatur locations make it easy for you to get your car ready for whatever weather the winter has in store.
Those residential streets will likely be jam-packed with trick-or-treaters looking for a haul of candy that will leave their dentists squirming. This means that you can expect to be yielding the right of way to pedestrians often and everywhere. Leave your impatience at the office and plan on having a longer drive-time than usual.
This is an obvious one, but the most important. Some of us might have a tendency to overestimate our multi-tasking skills and feel that we can send a quick text or adjust the music playing over the speakers while driving.
For those of us who will be walking the streets this Halloween rather than driving them, wearing clothes and accessories to heighten our visibility is key. There are more than a few ways to do this: one can find a plethora of clothes with reflective strips (some costumes even will come pre-fitted with them).
1. Put an Emergency Gas Card in the Glove Compartment
3. Check the Spare Tire (If Your Car Has One)
5. Put an Emergency Kit in the Car
7. Check the Battery in the Car
A lot of things can come up on a road trip. Sometimes this means having your car break down in the middle of nowhere. Or being caught in a massive thunderstorm. Either way, it’s always better to know you have an emergency car kit in tow for such moments. A summer road trip emergency car kit does not need to be very large. As a matter of fact, it’s better if you pack as light as possible while making sure you have the essentials. An emergency car kit should include:
A lot of us bring our pets on our summer road trips and that’s not a bad idea. Pets enjoy having fun with their owners and you wouldn’t want to leave them out, right? But you have to make sure your pet is ready for the road trip. Aside from that, you need to ensure you brought all the essentials for your pet so he/she can better enjoy the road trip.
The last thing you want on a road trip is being stuck on the road because your car broke down. Taking your beloved car for a maintenance check is quick and painless and can assure you of a lovely road trip. In case mechanics find issues with your car, they can just provide the solution to make sure you are safe on the road.
A lot of groups have had the chance to test the mileage of various vehicles while running the AC and having the windows down. One of them, called the Society of Automotive Engineers, finally sought after the answer to the question in a scientific way.
Normally, you’d want to have your AC serviced at least once a year. Think of it as a yearly checkup where the technicians ensure your AC is clean from dust, pollen, and gunk while making sure it is working as intended. If need be, expert AC technicians will check and clean every component of the AC system on your car.
Make sure your pet is used to traveling with you in your car. Traveling is a new experience for pets so you should make sure you take them to short trips so they get used to the feeling of being in a closed space for a certain time.
When you are young and financially challenged, you tend to develop this habit of stretching everything to the limit. Like following a measly budget and hope you won’t die of starvation. Or wearing the same set of clothes until somebody notices. But perhaps one that we can really relate to is running your car on empty.
For those unfamiliar with the term, running on empty means you are running your car even if the fuel gauge is at “E” or empty and the gas tank warning light is on.
While you may feel like MacGyver going all smart and risky in running on empty, it can do serious damage to your car.
Winter is coming. Are you and your car ready?
Check your tires – We put this first because this is probably the easiest. Regular tires won’t work on icy roads so you should start switching them with your winter set. But before you do that, check your winter tires if they still have the proper tread depth. No point using them when they can’t even perform properly. Lastly, make sure to constantly check your tire pressure. The cold can cause the pressure to drop at times so check your tires visually before you get on the car and watch out for the tire pressure light.
So you already know where you plan to go and you have all the information you need, but that’s not enough for you to get on the road. You still need a couple of things to make the road trip a success.
Depending on where you plan to go on your fall road trip, the weather can get a bit crazy. You might be enjoying a sunny afternoon drive but it can get a bit wet and cold after an hour. Make sure you bring clothes that can protect you in case it gets too cold or too hot.
