Winter is the most complicated time for your car. Faced with cold, snow, salt, or even ice, all these weather conditions can damage it. Better Assured gives you the right actions to protect your car during this time of year.
Protecting the exterior of your car from the cold
The first thing to protect your car in winter is to put it under cover. In this case, get a tarp to cover your entire vehicle. It will thank you! Plus, it will save you from scraping the frost off your windshield every morning.
Then, we strongly recommend that you opt for antifreeze fluids for the different elements of your car: windshield washer fluid, coolant, engine oil. You must be sure that these products are frost-resistant.
Take care of rubber and seals in winter
Let’s start with the windshield wipers . In case of frost, you should think about raising your windshield wiper blades slightly to prevent the rubber from freezing under the effect of the cold. You can do this using a cork. In addition, it is good to remember that you should not operate your windshield wipers on a snowy or frosty windshield.
This could cause your brushes to become deformed and therefore weaken them.
You should also maintain the door and trunk seals of your vehicle. Indeed, the cold tends to stick the door seals and risks tearing off when opened suddenly. To prevent this phenomenon, use lubricating products such as WD40 or other special lubricant on your door seals and locks the day before using the car. This protective layer will protect your seals from frost.
Wash your car regularly
Although it is important to wash your vehicle in all seasons, the winter period can damage your bodywork. Salt can cause possible corrosion of the latter under the vehicle, and at the level of tires and wheels. You must therefore wash your car more regularly in order to eliminate all the iodine accumulated under your car and preserve the bodywork and mechanics of it.
Protecting the interior of your car from the cold
Less obvious than the exterior, the interior of your car can be damaged just as much in winter. Wet clothes or muddy shoes will damage the interior of the passenger compartment and especially your carpet. To avoid this, it is essential to have car mats (made of rubber because they are more resistant). You can also use seat covers . In the best case, try to dry your clothes before taking the road, in order to avoid stubborn smells of humidity.
On another note, it is essential to preserve your car battery to avoid the famous winter breakdowns. Indeed, very low temperatures greatly reduce the power of the battery and prevent it from recharging properly. To avoid this inconvenience, put a blanket on the hood of your car at night.
Attention to tires and tank
In cold weather, take care to check your tire pressure. Indeed, the cold causes a decrease in tire pressure. This is why if your car sleeps outside, you should check its tire pressure more often.
Also remember to fill your tank. Despite the rise in energy prices, we advise you not to leave your car’s tank empty when it’s cold or wet . Indeed, your car’s injunction system does not like water. So, leaving your tank empty will let air (and therefore humidity) pass through.
Finally, avoid driving abruptly in winter, especially when you have just started and your engine is cold. Driving with a cold engine increases the risk of breakdown.