Driving down the winding farm roads of the Midwest is beautiful this time of year. Sadly, as the leaves are falling so are the temperatures. Before you know it, snow will be falling instead. Even if you aren’t ready for sleet, snow, and ice, your car should be. Here’s a maintenance checklist to ensure you (and your car) stay safe this winter.
- Check your battery. Car batteries operate 30 to 60 percent worse when temperatures are below freezing. Scrape away any corrosion (while wearing gloves and protective eye gear).
- Check fluids, make sure your antifreeze is correct for your conditions.
- Pack an emergency kit with a flashlight, blanket, jumper cables, hand warmers, and kitty litter or sand for traction. If you don’t have litter but can’t get traction, take the floor mats out of your car and place them under your tires.
- Check your air, fuel, and PVC filters.
- Check your windshield wipers. If you live in a climate that sees a lot of snow and ice, purchase rubber-clad blades. These hold up better when removing ice and snow.
- Check that your heater and defroster are working.
- Put a snow brush and ice scraper in your trunk.
- Make sure your headlights aren’t cloudy, burnt out, or oxidized.
- Examine the tread on tires. Need help? Most states require tread 2/32” deep. Take a penny, turn Abe upside-down and stick his head in the tread! Can you see the top of Abe’s head? If so, it’s time for new tires.
- Check your tire pressure.
- Make sure you have a spare tire and functioning car jack.
- Purchase a tube of glycerin to keep at home. This can be used to de-ice a frozen lock.
If you found some concerns during your checklist or would like a professional to take a look call Turk’s Collision Center at (309) 694-2905. Turk’s Collision Center offers quick turnarounds, a lifetime warranty, vehicle pic-up/delivery, a shuttle service, a 27-point checklist following repairs, and direct billing to insurance companies. Our technicians are A.S.E certified and receive extensive training. Customer service is important to us, check out our reviews on Yelp. To find out more, visit our website or like us on Facebook.