When Winter is Coming, Here's What You Need to Know to be Ready

Game of Thrones references aside, prepping your vehicle for the winter is serious business, particularly in Mendon MA. While the trees will be beautiful to look at during your morning commute, the roads can become exponentially more dangerous thanks to heavy snow and ice accumulation. Fortunately, there are preventative measures you can take to ensure you're better prepared to get to work on time.

Winter Prep FAQ

What do I need with me in the car?

It's not enough to just throw your most padded winter jacket into the backseat of the car. While this will do on most days, it's not nearly enough in the event of an emergency. Having a box dedicated to winter supplies in your trunk or an easily accessible area is a great idea and can save you from a potentially dangerous situation.

Some of the things you can throw in there include some extra gloves, a flashlight, a battery backup charger for your cell phone, some extra blankets, a change of clothes, a first-aid kit, an ice scraper, a compact snow shovel, a spray bottle with de-icer fluid, and some snack foods that can't freeze.

Can my engine freeze?

Yes, it can. But there's something you can do to prevent that from happening outside of simply turning your car on every couple of hours. Simply add antifreeze to your vehicle's coolant system, and you'll save yourself a headache or two on a frigid morning. Antifreeze is easy to get your hands as every auto supply store carries it on a year-round basis.

My tires are OK, right?

If you've had them changed recently, yes. Buying winter tires is also an option as they no doubt help with traction in tricky conditions. You'll want to check the tread to make sure it isn't worn down, otherwise you'll find yourself sliding around on icy roads with an uncomfortable ease.

Another thing to check for in your tires is for small cracks in the rubber around the wheel. Temperature changes can dramatically affect the rubber on older tires, and if you ignore these, you could end up blowing out a tire.

The last thing you need to know is that it's a great idea to regularly check your tire pressure. You will lose one psi in your tires for every ten degrees that the temperature drops, which as drivers in Milford MA and Providence RI can attest, can happen quite often.

How can I clean the dirt off my windshields if my fluid keeps freezing?

This is a very underrated problem as city plows in Framingham and Worcester MA will regularly throw down salt on the highways to prevent them from freezing. As a result, dirt from the road mixes with the salt and flings itself upon your windshield limiting your vision. Hence, you'll be needing your wiper fluid in a pinch, but if it's frozen you'll be stuck with limited vision; potentially creating a serious situation for you.

Fortunately frozen wiper fluid doesn't have to be an issue for you if you switch out your regular fluid for "winter" fluid. As you might surmise, "winter" fluid won't freeze on you and you'll have one more tool in your arsenal for fighting off the rough winter conditions.

Another thing to keep in mind is that it is a good idea to switch out your wiper blades, as like the rubber on your tires, the rubber on your wiper blades will react negatively to the dramatic shift in temperature.

Winter is simultaneously one of the most beautiful and dangerous seasons there is, so why not do yourself a favor and make sure you do everything in your power to enjoy it without running into any serious problems. Remember that these are just precautions and that the most important thing you can do is drive safely. Stop by our dealerships at Imperial Cars today and we'd be happy to your vehicle ready!