Winterize Your Car

• Step 1 Take care of overdue maintenance

  

  Winter is hard on cars. With the stress of cold temperatures, overdue maintenance can degrade into real problems. If you car is 20 years old or more, it may need that old-fashioned thing called a “tune-up" (newer cars don't need tune-ups because their ignition system is virtually self maintaining). Along with your next scheduled oil change — which might require a change in oil weight if your winters are extremely cold — ask your mechanic to check the following:

  • Antifreeze (the mix of water and coolant needs to be right for winter)
  • Brake wear
  • Belt wear and tension
  • Battery charge
  • Filters for air, PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) and fuel

• Step 2 Get the tires ready

  Tire pressure. Tire pressure drops as temperatures drop, so check tire pressure and add air if needed. You can find the pressure rating on a sticker on the frame of driver’s door or in your owner’s manual. Use a digital pressure gauge, because other types are less accurate. Check your spare as well — it gives you a reason to find your spare, which you might be grateful for later.

  Tire wear. To check tread wear, place the edge of a penny in a tread, with Lincoln’s head upside down. If you see space above his head, the tread is so worn that the braking power of your tires is greatly decreased, and it's time for new tires.

  Winter tires. If you have winter tires, put them on soon. If you live in a mountainous region where chains are required, repair any broken cross links and put the chains in your trunk. Toss in a heavy plastic bag for stowing your chains after use.

• Step 3 Replace wiper blades

  

  Those water streaks left by a worn wiper blade can ice over in winter, creating a vision hazard. Replace blades while the weather is still warm enough that your fingers won't freeze while you tinker with them. If you live in an area with rough winters, consider heavy-duty wipers.

  Stock up on winter-rated washer fluid and fill the washer fluid reservoir under the hood.

• Step 4 Pack winter supplies

  Windshield. That time-honored technique of melting ice from the windshield by running the defroster full blast wastes gas and pollutes the air. And never pour hot water on your windshield; you risk cracking it. Instead, equip your car with ice scrapers (one should have a metal edge for thick ice) and a snow brush. Buy quality; they get plenty of use. You might also buy deicer spray — some types reduce icing overnight, while others melt ice as you scrape.

  Digging out. Equip your car with a snow shovel with a telescoping handle. Pack a bag of cat box filler to spread in front of the tires for greater traction when you get stuck.

  Safety. It's all too easy to slide into a ditch in a heavy snowstorm and be stranded for hours. For safety’s sake, pack the following:

  • Flashlight equipped with fresh batteries
  • Several Mylar safety blankets (running the car to keep warm is an asphyxiation risk)
  • Energy bars
  • First aid kit
  • Book, to fight boredom

  And make sure your cell phone is fully charged whenever driving in a snow storm.

• Step 5 Wash and wax your car

  A good waxing gives your car an extra layer of protection from the ravages of snow, ice and, worst of all, salt. Begin by washing the car thoroughly. Tackle minor scratches with a bit of rubbing compound — winter is sure to add more. Then wax with a liquid polymer wax; it won’t shine like paste wax does, but gives a longer-lasting finish. For more detail about waxing your car, see our project Hand wash and wax your car.

• Step 6 Fill 'er up

  Get in the habit of tanking up more frequently, so that you always have at least half a tank of gas. That's because any air in your gas tank holds water vapor, which condenses as temperatures drop, gathers in the bottom of the tank and is siphoned into the gas line where it can form ice.

  Gasoline in colder regions is blended with gas line antifreeze, but you can add more in extremely cold weather.

• Step 7 Drive safely

  "Easy does it" is the first rule of rough-weather driving. Most importantly, your speed should reflect conditions. Leave three times the interval you usually do (a safe minimum interval is 3 seconds from the car in front of you). In addition, follow these winter-driving guidelines:

  • Don’t drive off without scraping the windows. Give the defroster time to clear the inside of the windshield.
  • Brake gently to avoid skids.
  • Use your headlights, day and night.
  • Watch for ice on bridges (cold air flowing under the bridge speeds freezing).
  • If you skid, take your foot of the gas to slow down before braking. If you have antilock braking system (ABS) brakes, don’t pump the brakes, which you'll feel pulse as you brake. However, do gently pump non-ABS brakes.

• Step 8 Know how to get unstuck

  If you're stuck, it might feel cathartic to gun the engine, but spinning your wheels only digs you in deeper. Instead, turn the steering wheel back and forth to push some snow away from the front tires. Then get out and remove snow in front of every tire.

  If the snow is very deep, it might have been forced under the car, further reducing traction. If so, dig the snow from under the car. Ge back in the car, straighten your wheels and gently ease your car forward. When you feel the wheels spinning, stop and try again. Gently changing from forward to reverse repeatedly (“rocking”) also helps.

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