|
Winter is upon us !
Preparing for Winter Driving
With the onset of fall and winter, the demands on your car's operating systems becomes greater. The charging/battery system, brakes and shocks, lights and wipers, cooling system/heating system and engine performance are put under more stress with inclement weather.
The charging system and battery should be checked and serviced. Alternator performance, battery condition and especially the alternator drive belt, battery cable and connections, must be checked and replaced if needed.
Visibility also becomes an issue at this time of year. Lights and wipers need to be checked and serviced.
It's important to look at your shocks and tires. Shocks have a lot to do with driveability and you want to make certain your brakes are in solid working order.
Check the cooling system for antifreeze and replace hoses as needed. The heater and defroster need attention and this could mean work on your air conditioning system. The air conditioner dries the air that defrosts your windshield.
Incidentally, Todays Automotive has equipment that exceeds current standards for evacuating freon from vehicles. Todays is one of only a handful of shops in Salem that currently has the equipment up and operating.
Check the tune-up condition and vehicle performance. If your car is hard to start now, the cold and damp will exaggerate these conditions. This may leave you in the driveway or stranded in a parking lot.
Finally, protect your paint and wheels with a good cleaning and waxing; it will help preserve your car's appearance and increase resale value.
10 Tips for Winter Driving - Be extra careful in snowy or wet conditions at 25-39 degrees F. Believe it or not, your tires actually get more traction on solidly frozen roads at low temperatures then they do on wet snow in moderately cold weather.
- Watch the high-traffic roads, intersections and curves. Snow and ice get packed down in these areas and are even slicker than usual.
- Don't lower tire pressure; it won't give you better traction. Tire inflation already drops one pound for every 10-degree drop in temperature. Lowering it on your own can create a too-flat tire.
- When driving on snow or in icy areas, start slowly to avoid losing the small amount of traction between the wheel and the road. Every time you spin those wheels, the snow gets smoother and the traction decreases.
- If you start to skid, steer into the direction of the skid. If you fear a skid but you've never actually experienced one, try practicing. Go to an empty parking lot during daylight (for example, a school lot after the school day is over) and drive around on the snow. Hit the brakes to mimic a skid, and see what it feels like to steer into it, to regain control of the car and to turn and brake under these controlled conditions. (obviously, this is something to do slowly and carefully!)
- You may not realize it, but cars steer by traction, too. The safest way to maintain control of the car is to rotate the steering wheel gently and drive slowly enough going into a turn that you don't have to make any sudden movements. Turning creates centrifugal force and if you combine that with no traction at the front wheels, the result will surely be a skid.
- Apply brakes by gently tapping the pedal, about once or twice per second, so you don't break the traction between the wheels and the snowy surface. Also, remember that stopping in snow could take up to four times the normal stopping distance. Translation: If you're driving 20 mph in dry conditions, it might take you anywhere from 25-40 feet to stop the car. So driving in snow at 20 mph means stopping could take more that 150 feet. Keep your eyes on the road far ahead.
- If the car gets stuck in the snow, keep cool. Carry a bag of sand or kitty litter in your trunk, and spread some around the tires to give them better traction. Spinning your wheels in a snowdrift is a dumb and costly mistake; you'll burn out your transmission and it could take major $$$$ to repair!
- The "overdrive" feature is not designed for snowy conditions, so keep the transmission in lower gears.
- Visibility can be a bigger problem in winter, too. Don't forget to keep extra windshield wiper solvent in your trunk, because all that dirty snow shooting up from the wheels means frequent washing for your windows!
|
