Don’t blame the messenger, but winter is not far away and it is time to think about preparing your car or truck for the winter season. There are several key areas to consider. Tires, of course, engine cooling system, heater system, and the engine’s ignition system come to mind.
Tires - There are as many options with tires as there are for your shoes. What type of tire suits your driving needs? Aggressive snow tires, studded snow tires, a typical all season, or one of the new all season designs with ice and snow ratings are the main choices. Stop in and take a look while your current tires are evaluated. It is so much easier to get your tires before the snow falls than as the snow is falling. Most tire manufacturers base their production on last year’s demand and there are many times that a particular size and style may not be available. When the tires are put on, have the car’s suspension alignment, and brakes checked.
The car’s engine cooling system is more than just the antifreeze. This is also the heat source for the cabin heater. Having a proper mix of water and coolant is very critical. Having the correct coolant for your particular car is key in today’s proprietary minded auto manufacturers is just as crucial. Mixing of antifreeze types can cause severe problems. Look at the color of your coolant. Is it green, blue, red, some shade of gold or orange? Does it look like a gooey, oily mess? Have your shop take a look. It may need to be flushed. A proper system flush is more than draining and refilling the radiator. A cleanup and conditioner should be run through the entire heater and cooling system, then fresh coolant added. The engine’s thermostat should be replaced periodically also. Are there any leaks to be addressed? Often a leak that has been dormant will resurface after a flush. You should be aware of this. Now is the time to fix the leaks.
How is the heater working? Not much of a concern now, but it is the time to think about it. Does the blower motor work? Are you getting air flow in the correct vents? Is there any noise in the blower? If you have a van, SUV, or other vehicle with heating for the rear passengers, does that heater work? It probably has not been on in 6 months. Take a few minutes, turn everything on and check the operation of your heater and defroster.
Your car may start and run fine now, but how will it become the first cold spell? Cold weather brings on many changes in the chemistry of your car’s ignition and fuel system. Fuel is different in the winter than summer and reacts differently. We see many cars that have been so severely flooded while trying to start the car that the plugs become fuel fouled and must be replaced. The fuel will wash into the engine oil and an oil change is required. Consider a tune-up and fuel injection service before this happens. This will increase your fuel economy and performance of your car. If you have a diesel vehicle you should have your fuel filter changed and an injector service, too. You may want to buy a fuel conditioner to add to the fuel.
Finally, take the time to drive with radio off, cell phone off, and no other noise and windows down. Get to know the noises peculiar to your car. Do this regularly so that you can recognize any changes in how your car “talks” to you. You can often prevent a minor repair from becoming a major expense with knowing your car.