5 ways to get your car ready for winter

If you live in a cold state, now’s the perfect time to prepare your car for the coming snow, ice, and below-freezing temperatures. 

Proactive maintenance can save you from a major headache and prevent a breakdown when winter hits. 

We’ve compiled a list of five practical steps to get your car winter-ready.

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Cold weather stunts your battery power, leading to breakdowns. So make sure to have your battery and its charging abilities professionally checked if you can. If your battery is getting old and showing signs of weakness, it may be time to replace it.

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When snow or sleet starts, you don’t want to be worrying about visibility. Old wipers, especially ones that streak, may not do enough in a blizzard. Check to make sure your blades are working, and if you need new ones, consider winter-specific blades. You also might want to get winter wiper fluid, which has antifreeze and will work in temperatures below freezing. 

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Tire pressure drops in cold temperatures, and it could create problems. Check your tire pressure before the cold sets in, and then check it again throughout the winter. And if your tires are old, look at the thread depth to see if they’re still up to standards. If you live in a particularly snowy area, you might want to think about getting winter tires.

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You’ll be using your lights more in winter, with short days and dark hitting in many places by 5 p.m. Give your low and high beam headlights a check, plus your turn signals, brake lights, and taillights. Clean off the lens covers, too, while you’re at it.

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Cold temperatures affect everything from engine oil and coolant to brake and steering fluid, so you want to make sure you have enough of what your car needs to run. In particular, make sure your antifreeze, or coolant, level is correct.