Of all the seasons, it’s winter that can cause the most damage for cars. Sure spring and fall bring with them high winds and rain, but winter can bring with it conditions that are nearly hellish and that can damage cars and endanger lives. With this in mind, here are five basic tips for preparing your vehicles for the winter that is already upon us.
- Have your tires checked: The right tire pressure is very important in winter because tire pressure can quickly drop from exposure to colder air. In fact, it can drop one PSI for every 10-degree reduction in the outside temperature. This can of course affect your safety and control.
- Consider buying snow tires: Switching to snow tires can help your car gain greater traction while driving on snowy and slippery roads. Dedicated winter tires are best when winter weather is at its worst so only use them when conditions are particularly harsh. Remember to take the winter tires off as soon as spring returns, as they will wear out quickly in warm weather and can be a safety hazard as well.
- Have your brakes inspected and serviced: Slush, deep or packed snow and ice present a formidable challenge during the winter, placing your brakes under much more strain during winter than in other seasons. Thus, you would be wise to check your brake systems at least once before or even during the winter.
- Replace brake and windshield fluids with formulas made for winter: High water concentration can degrade your brake fluid making it less reliable at a critical time. Also, make sure that your windshield wiper fluid can withstand the lowest winter temperatures expected for your area.
- Be sure your brake lights and headlights are working: Winter presents the greatest challenges to visibility of all the seasons. Thus, it is especially critical that your brake and headlights are functioning well when driving through heavy snow or dense winter fog.
In short, it is well worth it to stay on top of things when it comes to winter driving. The above tips will help you do that and at the same time allow you to pocket considerable car repair expenses by helping you to avoid accidents. Check out our Volkswagen repair service which is complete, thorough, and can also help you extend the life of your major investment. Our Audi service center in Michigan specializes in a number of high end vehicle makes and models.
Call Autohaus at 248-971-7789 for an appointment.
We service the Metro Detroit area, including Royal Oak, Birmingham and surrounding areas.