How to Make Sure Your Car is Ready for Winter
How to Make Sure Your Car is Ready for Winter
Get Winter Ready at Fred Martin Superstore!
Winter is right around the corner here in Ohio, which means bitter cold temperatures, feet of snow, and brutal driving conditions. Of course, winter is tough on us, but it is also hard on our cars. The cold temperatures are harsh on the starting and charging systems, while the snow and bad weather lead to unsafe driving conditions. Here at Fred Martin Superstore, we want to keep you and your car safe all winter long. So we’d like to offer you a few tips to do just that. Continue reading below to learn more!
Check the battery
As was mentioned above, cold weather can be hard on your battery. This is because it takes more battery power to start your car in the cold. Your car battery’s ability to start the vehicle is measured in Cold Cranking Amps (CCA). A battery’s CCA rating is typically between 350 and 600, depending on the engine’s size. The expert mechanics here at Fred Martin Superstore can test your battery to ensure it’s providing the proper CCA to turn your engine over all winter long.
Test the heating system
Losing your heat in the dead of winter is quite possibly every driver’s biggest fear. Nobody wants to be stuck in a freezing cold car, even with the engine running. Not having any heat can also be a safety hazard as well, as heat is needed to defrost the windshield. If your defrosters don’t work correctly, your visibility can be impaired, leading to hazardous driving conditions. If your heaters don’t feel like they’re working correctly, don’t wait to bring your car to the Fred Martin Superstore service center.
Take care of your tires
Your tires connect you to the road, maintaining grip and keeping you going straight. When your tires get worn down, and the tread gets low, they aren’t able to grip the road as well. Even if your vehicle is equipped with four-wheel drive, your grip on the road is still dependent on the tread of your tires. Checking to ensure your tires have adequate tread is a necessary safety check before heading into the winter months. The cold air outside can also lower your tire’s air pressure, so checking the pressure at least once a month is essential. Our service personnel will be happy to perform routine tire services like rotations and pressure checks and recommend a new set of tires if yours need replacing.
Inspect your wipers
Before old man winter comes back around, it’s good practice to check the condition of your wiper blades. Any tears or cracks in them can decrease your visibility in inclement weather. If you find any damage to your wipers, one of our technicians will find you a pair specifically sized for your vehicle and install them. Your windshield washer fluid should also be checked. We advise using winter washer fluid, which has a melting agent mixed in. This helps melt the ice on your windshield while preventing more ice from forming.
Make sure your car is ready for winter at Fred Martin Superstore
We hope that this page has given you a better understanding of what checks and services should be done before winter comes in full swing. If you have any questions or would like to get your vehicle checked out by an expert here at Fred Martin Superstore, you can call our service center directly or use our online service scheduler right here on our website. We look forward to serving you!
