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How to Prepare your Car for Chilly Weather

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Getting Your Car Prepped for Winter Chills

As the weather gets colder this winter, there are a few steps that you'll need to take to ensure that your car runs perfectly come rain, snow, or sleet. Automobiles simply run differently when it's cold outside, and here are four of the things you should do to prepare your vehicle for whatever the winter may bring.

1. Test Your Battery

If your battery is going to give out, it will usually kick the bucket as soon as winter chills start creeping in. The colder it gets, the lower your battery capacity goes, which means that your battery may suddenly stop having enough juice to start your car one winter morning after a cold snap. The older your battery is, the more likely that it will fail, and replacing your car's battery before the beginning of winter is one way that you can hedge against the power-sucking effects of freezing weather. However, you can also take steps to keep your battery warm throughout the winter. For instance, you can park your car in the garage, or you can use a heated battery blanketto make sure that your battery stays warm overnight.

2. Check for Windshield Cracks

If there are any cracks in your vehicle's windshield, these cracks will likely only get worse as the weather gets colder.Freezing temperatures make glass more brittle, and the difference in temperature between the inside and outside of your car can be the final nail in the coffin of failing auto glass. This precaution applies to any other glass in your car; if you've been putting off replacing a cracked back windscreen or one of your windows, you should take care of that task before the winter's first freezing night. For good measure, you should also make sure that your car is equipped with subzero-capable windshield washing fluid, and you should also replace your wiper blades before winter hits in full force.

3. Make Sure Your Defroster Works

You never know the value of your defroster until it stops working. The most common cause of a faulty defroster is a broken blower unit, and you should replace this vital component before the first time that your windshield freezes overnight. Without an effectively operating defroster, every breath you take in your car while you're driving will create dangerous fog on your side of the windshield, so it's important to make sure that the little vents on your dash are pumping out plenty of hot air before the winter's first freeze.

4. Check Your Tire Pressure

You should check your tire pressure at least once per month, and this basic maintenance process becomes even more important in the winter. Cold temperatures cause the air pressure within your tires to drop, and underinflated tires wear out more quickly. In the worst case scenario, the winter cold could wear your tires out to the point that they burst, and picking durable all-season tires can protect you from this unfortunate possibility.

Again, if you want to take the worry out of vehicle repair bills during these colder months, purchase a warranty from True Auto and we will make sure you and your pockets stay warm this winter! 

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Topics: Driving in the Winter

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