Winter Motor Maintenance Tips

As we saw in 2018, the first few months of the year can be the coldest and often most harsh. Sub-zero temperatures and snowy conditions means your car needs extra care. 

Has your car been serviced? 

If your service light has come on, make sure you don't wait, it's there for a reason and could save you more than you think. Also, nine times out of ten your  local garage will offer free winter health checks, a fantastic way to keep on top of anything that may become a problem a little while later. 

"While the cold can cause lots of problems for cars, up to half of them could have been prevented by regular servicing and maintenance checks," says Keith Miller, former AA Patrolman of the year.

Tyres

The point of contact between you and the road, it's not worth risking. Winter tyres are great, they help with grip, braking distance and general safety, but not everyone can afford a whole new set of tyres. But it's important to make sure you at least have enough tread and they're inflated properly. 

We recommend a minimum of 3mm depth during the winter, compared to the legal minimum of 1.6mm, as this gives better grip. -confused.com 

Windscreen 

Windscreen wipers can get brittle in the cold, especially if they're worn already. They're crucial for visibility so if they're not in good condition then don't wait around, your local car parts store will be able to advise you. 

Another thing to look out for it salts off of the road. When it's cold and icy, the salt will spray on to your windscreen, and you'll easily be using double the amount of screenwash as you usually do. Keep it stocked up, and it's worth buying one that has a very low freezing point. 

Keep your battery charged up

You'll be using your cars facilities a lot more than usual, heaters, lights and air conditioning to name some of them. These all soak the juice up from your cars battery, and when it's cold, the battery won't be charging as well as usual. 

Take the time to monitor how much charge it has, this should be displayed in one of your cars displays. If it gets low, give it a charge at home. 

Header image credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/black-car-on-snow-covered-road-during-daytime-JXHN4c5CyUs