How To Prepare Your Vehicle For Winter Driving Conditions
Winter can be a difficult season for drivers, especially because it can make driving conditions challenging and increase your vehicle’s wear and tear. At North Edmonton Kia, we are committed to supporting drivers in and around Edmonton to ensure everyone is safe and secure this season. Book an appointment today through our Service Centre and let our licensed technicians prepare your vehicle for this winter.
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5 Ways To Get Your Vehicle Ready For Winter Driving
1. Change Your Oil
As engine oil degrades, it loses its lubricating properties, which only becomes worse during the colder winter months. Thus, it’s important to get your vehicle’s engine oil changed before winter, ensuring proper lubrication during cold morning start-ups and protecting internal components from preventable wear.
2. Install Winter Tires
Winter tires are a step towards a safer commute, ensuring your vehicle is easier to control while driving over snow, slush, and ice. Not only is it a safety hazard to drive without winter tires during winter conditions, but it also causes your all-season or summer tires to wear out quicker, costing you more money in the long run.
3. Inspect Battery Health
Inspecting your vehicle’s battery health should be done at least once a year, but if you haven’t done so in a while, it’s probably best to do so before winter. Engine oil thickens during the winter, making it difficult for the engine to turn over. A weak battery can begin having trouble starting the engine. Save yourself the hassle of being stuck in a parking lot and get a new battery if your vehicle has to crank over a few times before starting.
4. Top Off Fluids
A vehicle with low fluids can experience an array of issues, but the colder climate can increase the wear and tear of systems running low on fluid. A few fluids that should be topped off before winter include windshield wiper fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, differential fluid (if applicable), and coolant.
5. Replace Wiper Blades
Wiper blades should be replaced regularly, but most importantly, before winter. You need full visibility through your windshield, and having poorly functioning wiper blades can make it difficult to drive safely.
Although those are the common ways to prepare your vehicle for winter driving, it’s important to ensure your vehicle’s maintenance and repairs are done on time. A neglected vehicle is more likely to perform worse as temperatures drop, so book an appointment, today, and save yourself the hassle of winter car troubles.