Winter in Canada demands extra care for your vehicle. Follow this checklist to winterize your automobile, preventing engine freeze-ups, frozen doors, and more.
Verify Tire Tread
Taking a peek at your tire tread is crucial for winter driving safety. When your tires are worn down, it’s like treading on thin ice – risky business. Make sure your tires have a tread depth of at least 4/32 inches to maintain top-notch traction. Don’t gamble with your safety; well-treaded tires are your best winter companions. To check your tread depth, a budget-friendly tire tread depth gauge is your handy tool. Take a look at both the inner and outer tires to keep those slip-and-fall incidents at bay.
Check the Car Battery
The life of car batteries is finite. Avoid waiting for yours to break and abandon you. With a digital battery tester, you can examine the state of the automobile battery, starter, and full charging system. A computerized battery tester not only measures voltage but also conductance and internal resistance to give you a general picture of the state of the battery. The tester additionally examines the state of your alternator and starter. Make sure the battery tester you purchase is compatible with both gel and absorbed glass mat (AGM) types of batteries in addition to traditional lead-acid batteries. In this manner, you can use the same tester for your lawn and garden tools as well as your motorcycle.
Empty the Battery terminals
In colder climates, corrosion accumulation on battery posts and connections can make it difficult to start your car and stop your charging system from replenishing your battery. Prior to disconnecting the positive cable, disconnect the negative cable. Using a wire brush or battery cleaning tool, clean the battery terminals. After that, tidy the cable terminals. Using a paper towel, wipe the top of the battery clean of any grease or acid residue. After that, reinstall the negative cable after the positive cable termination. Also, defend the battery terminals – use a battery terminal protectant spray to lessen corrosion on battery terminals in the future. After cleaning and reinstalling the battery terminals, generously apply a layer of battery terminal protectant spray to every terminal.
Grease the window tracks
Ever tried to roll down your window, only to feel like you’re fighting against frozen forces? That struggle might cost you big bucks in window regulator wire repairs. But fear not! A little preventative magic is in a can of spray silicone or dry Teflon spray lubricant. Lower the window and give a hearty spray into the front and rear tracks. Let it run the entire length, liberally coating the track. Now, the fun part – open and close the window a few times to spread the lubricant magic. If you accidentally mist the glass, a swipe with glass cleaner and a paper towel will make it disappear. Smooth windows, happy wallet!
Grease the door locks
If you have remote keyless entry, you probably don’t use your trunk and door locks very often, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect them. The lock cylinders will rust if you don’t keep them greased, which will prevent you from using your key. You’ll need to contact a locksmith if the battery in your key fob ever runs out, leaving you locked out. It’s simple to lubricate trunk and door lock cylinders. As you winterize your home, you should take this action with regard to both the locks on your vehicles and the locks on your entry doors. As long as you don’t overdo it, inserting graphite lock oil into the keyway functions effectively. To disperse the Teflon and propel the liquid into the lock cylinder, shake the spray can. Any sticky pieces will dissolve in the solvent. Teflon particles will coat the internal lock parts when the solvent evaporates, enabling smooth operation of the lock.
Grease hinges and latches
A stuck hood latch makes things worse when your automobile won’t start. Because the latch mechanism is just behind the grille, the salt spray from the cars in front of you causes it to corrode and seize. By lubricating the latch mechanism before the snow flies, you can stop that corrosion. Simply lift the hood and apply lithium grease spray to the lock. A couple hood openings and closures will work the lubricant into the latch and spring system. Then shut off the hood and put it out of your mind for the remainder of the winter. When you need to get beneath the hood, it will easily pop open.
Think About Winter Tires
Your life could be saved by winter tires. Due to the snowflake on their sidewall, winter tires—also referred to as snow tires—offer significantly more traction in snow than all-season tires. This allows you to stop almost thirty feet shorter and initiate stop signs thirty-three percent faster. Even on ice, winter tires outperform regular tires, minimizing side slide in turns and allowing for 48% faster stopping distances. Depending on your wheel size, a pair of four winter tires might cost up to $600. You’ll have to hire a shop to change the tires every spring and fall if they are put on your current wheels. Yes, winter tires are really expensive. But think about what you pay for. Winter tires can help avoid an accident where one party is at fault by improving stopping distance and handling in turns. In fact, winter tires might pay for themselves in a single season if they keep you out of an accident and your collision deductible is between $500 and $1,000.
Inspect the Coolant
Let’s talk coolant—it’s not just about preventing your engine from freezing. Coolant does more, like keeping your cooling system top-notch with water-pump lubricants and anti-corrosive magic. Grab a cheap tester to check the freeze protection in your coolant. Pour some into the reservoir, consult the tester’s scale, but here’s the catch: passing the freeze test doesn’t mean the additives are still on duty. Bring in the digital multimeter. Start the engine cold, rev it to 2,000 rpm, and check with the probes. If it’s 4 volts or less, your coolant is a superhero. Anything higher? Time for a coolant change—way cheaper than a new heater core, water pump, or radiator.
Use winter wiper blades instead
Snow accumulates on regular wiper blades, causing them to smear or miss big portions of your windshield. Winter wiper blades solve that particular issue. The whole blade is encased in a rubber boot that keeps snow and ice from packing or adhering. They greatly improve visibility and increase driving safety in the winter. Take out and save your old wiper blades so you can use them again in the spring. To ensure clear vision during the winter, install the winter wiper blades.
Examine and swap out your hood lifts
When it gets colder outside, the gas lift cylinders that keep your hood open will stop functioning altogether if they are having trouble during the warm months. Since the wear on the left and right lifts is equal, you should always replace them in pairs. Ask the store clerk to mark the elevators on the right and left for you as they often differ somewhat from one another. To hold the hood open while you replace the lift, ask a friend. A head injury is certain when the hood is supported by a piece of wood. With bolts or a ball-and-socket configuration, the lifts are fastened to the hood and fender. The bolt styles are simple to switch out. Simply take the bolts off and put the lift back on. A C-shaped clip on the ball-and-socket types keeps the socket from popping off the ball. Simply place a little flat-blade screwdriver into the center of the clip and pry the ends out to separate the ball studs. You can now release the ball and socket as a result. To replace the lift, pry out the C-clip with a screwdriver and snap the end onto the ball.
Install a new cabin Air Filter
In many late-model automobiles and trucks, the cabin air filters are overlooked. A blocked cabin air filter can significantly limit airflow through your car’s heater, putting stress on the blower motor and overheating the blower motor resistor. You might not think of this as critical maintenance. Before the heating and cooling season begins, it makes financial sense to repair your cabin air filter because certain automobiles’ blower motor replacement can cost up to $400. For less than $20, purchase a replacement filter at our eParts, then follow the installation guidelines found in your owner’s handbook. Remember that certain models have airflow direction specifications, so as you remove the old filter, pay attention to its orientation.
Put Together A Winter Survival Pack
Many of the things in this winter car survival kit are probably already in your garage. But they belong in the car, along with a few other items! All you have to do is pack them into a box and keep it in your car for roadside emergencies in the winter. With the right gear, you can handle most wintertime roadside emergencies and stay safe from frostbite. Those of you who drive through or reside in remote, thinly populated areas know that becoming stranded in a blizzard can be fatal.
Winterizing your car is a proactive step to ensure a safe and smooth journey through the Canadian winter. Don’t let the cold catch you off guard; prepare your vehicle using this comprehensive checklist and embrace the season with confidence on the road. Stay warm, stay safe!
