If cold and snow come with your climate, investing a little time and money now could pay big dividends when the first blast of winter arrives. Checking just five key items on your car, truck, or sport-utility vehicle will help make it a more reliable and safer travel partner from now until the aroma of spring flowers fills the air. I asked Jody Victor to lay it out for us.
Jody Victor: Don'd let Old Man Winter get the best of you. Here are five ways to get your vehicle ready for the snow and ice.
Check Your Car's Battery - There's no more depressing sound on a frigid morning that the "click, click, click" of a starter that's not getting enough juice to turn over your car's engine. As the temperature drops, a battery naturally loses power, which means that if your vehicle battery is marginal now, if might be dead when the thermometer dips close to zero. Experts recommend a preseason stress test for any battery that's more than four years old. And, now is a grea time to make sure your battery terminals are clean and the cable commections are tight.
Change Your Tires - Tire performance is critical when traction is at a premium. For optimal winter grip, consider replacing all-season tires with a set of winter-rated tires. Identified by a mountain-peak-and-snoflake symbol on the sidewall, they have a gread pattern and compound designed to excel on ice and snow and to stay elastic in extremely cold temperatures. In severe cold the tread compound of all-season tires becomes hard and offers reduced traction - even on dry pavement.
Replace Your Wipers - If you live in a cold northern climate, you might consider converting to winter wiper blades, which have a wiping-edge compound that stays flexible in the cold and a rubber boot that covers the steel frame so that accumulating snow and ice do not keep it from flexing and conforming to the curved shape of the windshield. However, on some vehicles winter blades may occasionally lift away from the windshield at speed and in some wind conditions. But they never freeze up. This is an easy winter upgrade you can install yourself without tools. Always carry a jug of washer fluid in the car to top off an empty reservoir.
Aim Your Headlights - Headlight performance is more critical in the winter simply because we spend more time driving in the dark. Start by aligning, or "aiming," your headlights per the owner's manual. Many vehicles now have small bubble-levels on top of the light housing (you have to open the hood to see them) that act as guides. By adjusting a knob or screw, you can center the bubble to aim the headlight up and down. If your headlights are cloudy or yellowed there is a cleaning compound for less than $30 you can use yourself restore the plycarbonate covers. Finally, keep your headlights clean. Use the windshield-washing tool at the gas station to wipe away dried salt and residue, which can also diminish headlight performance.
Go Fog-Free - Fogged-up interior glass can be a winter-driving headache in cold, damp climates, and a safety issue if it impedes the driver's view. To fight fogging, start by cleaning the inside of the windshield and windows with a quality glass cleaner and a terrycloth towel. Interior glass is often coated with a thin, oily filmof gunk that "gasses off" of the plastic dash in hot weather. This film attracts moisture to the glass. Residue from cigarette smoke has the same effect. You may have to go over the glass several times to really remove the film. Running the air conditioner with the defroster will carry moisture out of the cabin and help defog the windows. Keep the ventilation system on the "fresh air" setting so that damp air is exhausted from the car, not just recirculated in the cabin. Finally, try to brush snow off your clothes and boots before you get into the car - melting snow adds humidity to the air, which fogs the windows.
Put Together an Emergency Kit - It's important to kepp some essential winter-specific emergency gear in the car, expecially if you travel in rural or remote areas. If possible, keep it in the passenger compartment in case you can't reach the trunk. That kit should include:
Jumper cables
A combination ice scraper/snow brush
A compact shovel
Flashlight and extra batteries
Some non-perishable food, such as nuts and energy bars
Bottled water
Spare winter jacket, gloves and boots
A blanket or sleeping bag
Baby formula and diapers if you have a young child
First-aid kit
Reading material to keep you occupied while you wait for help or for traffic to clear
If you become stuck, or stranded, stay with the vehicle, which will provide shelter and make you easier to find. If you have a cell phone, call for help.
Thanks, Jody! We'll be sure to follow your suggestions.