Virily Editor
Long, dark and cold winters don’t just take a toll on your mental health. It can also do a number on your car. From the fluids not flowing properly to the salt on the roads eating away at your car. This means that you can’t just go with the flow when it comes to car maintenance when you live in a cold climate.
You have to do more to make sure that your car is always in good working condition. A car can last a long time when you take care of it so do a little extra to get a few more years out of it than you normally would so the elements don’t destroy it faster.
In this article, I will go over how you can do routine maintenance on your car in a cold climate so it can live a longer life.
Keep it clean
The sand and salt that is used to treat the roads when it is snowy and icy will eat away at your car’s exterior. The paint gets ruined and the exposed metal underneath starts to rust and flake away. The best rust treatment for cars can fix the problem but prevention is the best medicine.
Make sure to take your car to the wash even in the winter. This will prevent the salt from gaining any traction and begin the process of rotting the metal. When you see the white patches forming around the perimeter of the body then you know it’s time to get it washed. Even if all you do is rinse it with a power washer to get the chemicals off of it this will help prolong the life.
Use snow tires
Make sure to change your tires before the winter with snow tires. This will keep you safer on the road and prevent losing traction. When the roads are icy the snow tires can maintain contact with the road much better. They have deeper channels that allow the slush and ice to flow away from the tire.
The tire pressure is also important to make sure that you can keep your traction. Make sure not to overinflate them because there is less surface area in contact with the road. Underinflation can lead to a loss of control so avoid that as well.
Replace windshield wipers regularly
The harsh cold can make your wiper blades brittle as they freeze. Then, if they get stuck with some ice they can tear as you turn them on. Over the course of the winter, this is more likely to happen as the cold breaks the rubber down and weakens it over time.
Wipers that don’t clear your windshield completely make it very risky to drive when bad weather hits. If you can’t see or are distracted by having to wipe the windshield often then you are running a higher risk of an accident.
Keep your fluids level
If you are running low on essential fluids then the cold weather can make them less effective. Your brakes can end up getting spongy or your radiator fluid can overheat. Make sure to check your fluids before setting out so you don’t end up with a nasty surprise.
