Winterizing your car is a must for any of you who live in areas where you experience debilitating snowfalls and sub-zero temperatures. Be sure to check out the first installment of my series of winterizing your car to keep it running smoothly and lessening your chances of getting stranded.
Change your oil
During Winter, the lower temperatures make the oil in your engines tougher to flow and lubricate the moving parts that you don’t want to seize. To prevent that from happening, you should consider using a motor oil that is thinner than what you usually use. The key to figuring out what you should look for, pay attention to the first number on the bottle (10-30, 20W-50). The lower the number, the thinner the oil, and the easier it is to flow through your engine. If you are lucky enough to have an oil with the “W” indicator after the first number, then your oil is fine for Winter use and there is no need to switch to a different viscosity.
Double Check Your 4 Wheel Drive
I can’t tell you the number of times I wish I had a 4 wheel drive vehicle during the Winter. They can go just about anywhere and since they use all 4 wheels to grip the road, you can easily get out of a patch of ice. You should always avoid getting out on the road when it’s icy anyways, but when the time comes to strike out on the ice and snow, you’ll be glad your 4WD is working properly. With any 4WD vehicle, it’s a good idea to shift into 4WD about once a month to make sure there are no clogged lines and everything is running properly. Trust me, once you spin your wheels a couple of times, you’ll be glad you’ve got the ability to switch into 4WD and get home safely.
Stay tuned for more tips on winterizing your car!