Winterizing Your Automobile Battery

Winters are the most painful time when your battery refuses to start. Unless there is more than three and a half times power supplied to it, you may not be going any where. During those cold, winter mornings, there are many people who keep their batteries on a permanent state of ‘on’ so that they do not have to waste precious time trying to get their cars on the road. These problems are encountered because more than seventy percent of people across the US do not winterize their cars efficiently. According to the AAA, winterizing your battery and radiator are musts, considering the severity of the terrible winter weather and chillness. Here are few ways for you to get rid of your electrical system hassles and battery start-up problems in the winter season.

AAA Advice on How to Winterize Your Battery And Electrical Systems

Car batteries are not your average AA batteries. Its best to not contemplate a DIY project at any costs, even if you’re a mechanical engineer. Instead, take the car for servicing and general battery repairs at an authorized service center and let them work out troubleshooting prospects for you. The biggest culprit when it comes to battery stalling is corrosion and freezing. Corrosion cannot be detected with a naked eye and requires professional help. Freezing temperatures of the winter season can wreck havoc on the battery, electrical and suspension systems. You will have to insulate your electric systems well in advance to save your automobile from bad weather. Also, remember to always charge your battery. since a fully charged battery does not freeze until temperatures of more than -76 F are reached.

What Not To Do To Your Battery and Electrical Systems in the Winter

Many car owners consider overcharging their batteries to keep them from freezing in winter. However, that is a dangerous practice and can permanently spoil your car battery. Overcharging is as bad as undercharging and can be very harmful to your battery.  Another thing to be aware of is dirt on your battery terminals. Dirt is a good conductor of heat and can easily transfer the chillness from the environment to your battery. It’s best to have one of our auto repair mechanics inspect your battery and get it ready for the winter.

Winterization Checklist For Your Entire Automobile and Battery Systems

Not only your battery, but the whole of your car needs a winterization makeover. We urge you to schedule an extensive inspection of the fluids in your car, the radiator system, the exhaust system (in case of any leaks,) the tires for alignment and other steering and suspension problems, regular oil changes, fuel system overhauls, and the working condition of the defroster and the car heater. Your windshield wipers are also important components to be checked before winter starts, so that your windshield will stay clean and free from road debris and road salt. Even after your inspection and winterization of your car, you need to make it a best practice to top of your fluids when needed.  Also, an easily overlooked item is a winter survival kit. Doing a quick search online will warrant plenty of results with the a required checklist.

What to Expect from Pre Winter Maintenance Checks

When the cold comes, so does the snow, and following shortly after that is the ice. For even good drivers, the winter season is some what of a nightmare. Even if you are a great driver, the road can be a dangerous place for reasons outside your control, such as other drivers or road conditions. However there is something that you can control in order to make your winter driving experience the safest possible, and that is your vehicle. If you have considered getting a pre winter maintenance check, you should know a bit of what you are up for.

Safety Inspection: The Heart of Winter

The premise of every single pre winter inspection is a safety inspection. When you drop your vehicle off at our auto repair shop, our inspection is going to be, first and fore most, about safety. Commonly, we will start by testing the road properties of your vehicle. Our mechanic wants to ensure that your brakes are working, your brake pads are not slipping or catching, your brake line is not gripping and your brake pedal is functioning as it should. We will also check out your brake lights to ensure they are in working order. After this, we will check your vehicle’s tires to ensure that they have sufficient tread, no abnormalities in the tires to impair handling, and filled properly. But it will not stop there; safety is only one part of the pre winter inspection. 

Functionality Inspection: Pre Winter Knowledge

Your vehicle will be subject to a near complete inspection. Fluids checks will be performed in order to ensure that not only the fluids are leveled and of good quality (i.e. not burnt, or contaminated) but also that hoses are not leaking. In the winter, leaks can become issues, as the liquids can drip and freeze, and while frozen, corrode parts of your vehicle. After the  fluids checks, our mechanic will then check your car’s power steering, suspension and wheel alignment. All of those are factors that affect the handling of your vehicle, and thus are inspected just as much for functional purposes as for safety reasons. Proper wheel alignment, good suspension and working power steering will all help you to drive better and safer this winter. 

After Your Pre Winter Inspection

Once your pre winter inspection is over, depending upon your current budget, you will have the option to have our mechanic address any or all of the issues with your vehicle. Of course, they will explain to you in as much detail as you require what the problems are with your vehicle. It is at this point that it is important that you ask any questions you may have. Not all repairs or work is required, but a pre winter inspection is done thoroughly, and thus problems that arise during it may very well be ones that affect your driving this season. 

The Importance of Being Winter Ready with Your Car

As winter approaches, there are several changes in the way your car operates, thanks to the differences in the temperature and pressure in the external environment. That’s why it’s very important for you to have a mechanic do a complete safety inspection, and corresponding repairs, with adequate winter safety measures so that you hopefully won’t have to face a breakdown in the snow. The premier components of your car that will be inspected are the battery and electrical systems, the radiator system, the belts and hoses, suspension and steering systems, windshield wiper systems and several other fluids in the car.

Engine Systems And Batteries Must Be Checked During Winter

With the temperatures cruising below the freezing point in most of the cities in the U.S., it is important for you to understand how important it is for your battery to be fully charged and complemented with a properly working engine. According to a checklist issued by the AAA, your battery would need around three and a half times the power normally required to start your car in the winter, than it would during normal temperatures. You could ease the process by providing a less dense fuel, easy transmission lines, and properly serviced engines. Although sluggish car starting is a surefire indicator of your car needing a good battery, your headlights can tell you a much better story. Dim headlights are also a sign of you needing a battery replacement for your car.

General Car Maintenance Tips For Surviving Winters

Your car must be inspected and reinspected regularly during the winter months, so there are lower chances of breakdowns in the snow, leaving you stranded on the road with no help. Also, in the case of windshield wiper replacements and headlights, your safety is at risk due to the low visibility conditions. Thus, before winter begins, you must make it a point to get your radiator, antifreeze, fluid levels, brake levels, warning hazard lights, headlights, belts and hoses, and windshield wipers inspected to avoid any possible mishaps while on the road. Your tires must also be checked for tread depth and an overall inspection as well. According to the AAA, you must never disregard the importance of a regular auto repair, particularly in winters, since your safety is at risk.

Why Must You Have a Winter Safety Kit In Your Car?

A recent press release by the AAA has reinforced the usage of a winter safety kit in your car. A winter safety kit, or survival kit, is essential if you live in a part of the country that gets snow at some point during the year. A few of the items you should get, in case you do go in the ditch or have an accident, are: a flash light, ice scrapers, shovels and brushes to scrape snow on the roadside, tire traction equipment (such as kitty litter, sand, chains, ramps) should your tires get stuck in the snow, jumper cables, food, coffee furnaces, thermal blankets, and several other materials. You might also include some form of entertainment in case you’ll be sticking around longer than you want. While not absolutely necessary, we also recommend using weather radios for alerts and broadcasts about the weather. 

The Year Round Car Maintenance Check List

Through out the entire year, your car needs to be maintained in order to perform its best. If you want to maintain your car, you are going to have to do a little bit of work. Car maintenance is fairly easy for even beginner drivers to perform, and takes only a minimal level of skill to successfully employ. This list will give you all the tips and parts required in order to perform a successful car maintenance check, no matter what the time of the year may be.

Check the Oil Level and Quality

Every vehicle has an oil dip stick for a purpose. You want to check your oil frequently, at least once a month. What you are looking for are two things; the level and the quality. The color of your oil should be caramel, or light. Dark oil is burnt and needs to be changed. If your oil does not need to be changed, simply top it off if the reading is below the desired level on your oil dip stick.

Check the Fluid Levels

Just as with oil, there are dip sticks for nearly every liquid in your car, besides the gasoline. To check fluid levels, you will want to use these and measure how close to the desired level they are. If they are too low, top them off. If the liquids look too dark, or dirty, then chances are it is time to change them.

Check the Battery

The seasons can have an impact on your cars’ battery, as can simply driving your vehicle. To check your battery you are going to need your eyes only. This is best done when the car is cool and you are going to looking for any corrosion, or rot, around the clamps and terminals, and fraying in the cables. Cracks in the case, water, and dirt on the battery are other problems that will need to be addressed as well. If you notice any of this, it is time to bring your car in to have the battery changed.

Check Your Brakes

Brake work is best left to professionals, but you can check your brakes in the most basic sense without any risk. Simply drive around like normal, but pay extra attention to your brakes. If you think that you are having to use more pressure to stop, or that it is taking longer for your vehicle to come to a complete stop, or even that the brake pedal is a bit too loose, it is time to bring your car in to have the brakes looked at. This should be done regularly as well.

Check Your Tires

Performing tire inspections is actually fairly easy to do. What you are looking at is the tread of the tire which can be tested with a simple penny. Put the penny with Abe Lincoln’s face toward you, head down, into a groove of the tire. If the penny fits in up to Abe’s eyes, your tread still has some life left in it. If you can see the top part of Abe’s head, it’s time to get new tires on your vehicle.