Cold Weather Can Damage Your Car
Winter is not only the season to be jolly, but to be concerned about your car as well. It’s the time of the year to pay maximum attention to maintenance as the weather conditions can have a very significant negative impact.
Here is how the cold weather can damage your car:
Your battery might simply become unresponsive
Many car owners are afraid of this situation in the winter. So test your battery before you encounter unpleasant delays due to a useless one. Though a regular battery should be technically able to handle very low temperatures, if it goes below 30 °F (about -1 °C), that means trouble. More often than not the voltage will get pulled out and your car won’t start, particularly if the battery isn’t in a good shape to begin with.
The tire pressure will decrease
As it gets colder and colder throughout the winter time, you have to constantly check your tires and see whether they are fully inflated and suitable for the ride. Under-inflated ones are not only performing poorly, but the ice and snow on the road can easily damage them.
Don’t take any chances as this can get dangerous. It takes just a few seconds to see if your tires are safe enough or not.
The consistency of fluids will thicken
There are pretty many there and coldness won’t help them flow quicker at all. Whether we are talking about oil, brake, transmission fluids or even antifreeze, they can all thicken and prevent proper functioning.
So make sure you get them checked when the weather is not that friendly. A thick fluid that flows slowly can lead to other issues.
If you are not careful, your windshield wipers can break
If there is too much snow or ice on the windshield, the wipers will just break when you turn them on. So you should clean the windshield very well in the winter as the wipers can’t handle much pressure.
Throwing hot water on your windshield can crack it or expand existent tiny cracks
It’s not wise at ice to try to defrost the windshield with hot water as the temperature difference can damage the glass beyond repair.
When the tank is near-empty, the moist air can form ice inside
Try to have the tank quite full at all times as an empty one has lots of moisture. The water can freeze and get into the fuel lines.
Tips:
1. If you have the chance to keep your vehicle in a garage, don’t hesitate to do so. While it is true that it might be a more time-consuming task to take it in and out of the garage, this can save you big bucks and many hours of frustration.
2. The rubber of the windshield wipers wears off after a while and can leave annoying streaks. So it is a good idea to replace the wipers more frequently in the winter, as soon as you notice that they don’t do their job properly.
McKinney Motor Auto Repair in Albuquerque are professionals when it comes to driving and your vehicle. You can count on us to answer any questions and take care of all your vehicle’s maintenance or repair needs. Call us today (505) 298-6734 to schedule an appointment and be safe while on the road.
