Winter Car Care

Keeping your vehicle well maintained is important all year round, but especially so in winter. For example, worn tyres will not hold the road in wet conditions as well as those with with a good, deep tread.

Make sure all exterior lights are working correctly and that windscreen wiper blades are in good condition. Check the oil, coolant and washer fluid levels.

Before carrying out the following checks, make sure your vehicles’ engine is cold and parked on a flat level surface.

CAR BATTERY

If your car has not been used for a period of time, the battery may need charging before you use it. It is a good idea to keep a battery charger and battery testing device at home.

COOLANT

Ensure that the coolant level is between the minimum and maximum markers. It is also important that there is sufficient anti-freeze in the coolant. If you are uncertain, look at your handbook or get a local garage to check the strength. Anti-freeze is cheap but resulting damage from a frozen engine can be expensive to repair.

TYRES

Check tyre condition to see if there is adequate tread. Look for damage such as splits or bulges and check the tyre pressure. Winter tyres which are designed to work at lower ambient temperatures are available from local tyre fitting specialists.

SCREENWASH

Make sure you have enough screenwash and the concentration is suitable for cold conditions. Not all screenwash is the same, so look for the appropriate temperature range it is suitable for. You should be looking for protection of temperatures down to -10°c.