Make sure you give some attention to your batteries, tyres, antifreeze, wipers, lights and other vehicle essentials this winter to ensure reliability in the months to come. Prevention is always better than cure, so by paying some attention to a few winter maintenance needs, you will greatly reduce the risk of a breakdown in the coming months.
Battery
Get the battery and charging system checked to ensure best performance. One of the most common reason for breakdown service call-outs, cold weather puts a lot of strain on tired batteries, so consider changing it now to avoid the inconvenience of a breakdown. If your battery seems to be turning over more slowly than usual, get it checked straight away. Similarly, if the red battery warning symbol illuminates on the dashboard, do get the battery checked.
Anti-Freeze
Ensure your car’s cooling system has the correct levels of anti-freeze, which is vital to prevent the water in your engine’s cooling system from freezing. This may well be a specialised job depending on your vehicle so our advice is to let a qualified mechanic set the levels correctly
Lights
Make sure all the lights on your car, inside and out, are working properly. Clean them regularly to ensure they are free of dirt, so that you can see, and others can see you.
Tyres
Check tyres for tread depth and pressure weekly through the winter. Good tyres will ensure the safety systems on your car are as effective as possible. We would recommend a minimum tread depth of 3mm (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), as this will disperse much more water from the road and will minimise your risk of skidding and losing control.
Visibility
Check your windscreen wipers, front and rear. Make sure they are working properly, and top up your screenwash regularly using cold weather washer fluid. Do not use the windscreen wipers to clear ice, as this will very quickly lead to damage and do not use washing up liquid in the washers as this will quickly clog your system when it freezes
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