Winterize Your Vehicle

In Northwestern Ontario, winter gets here early and overstays its welcome – which is why we’re talking about winterizing your vehicle in October. These above zero temperatures are about to drop fast! The winter months are hard on any vehicle, especially here. It’s important to winterize your vehicle so that it’s up to the challenge, and stays in tip-top shape.

Replace Your Wipers

Visibility is extremely important when it comes to winter driving. If your windshield wipers are cracked or leaving streaks, replace them with new ones that are ready to take on new weather. Better yet, replace them with winter wipers that are especially strong to handle heavy snow and slush.

Change to Winter Tires

Summer and/or all-season tires simply do not work for winter conditions – low temperatures harden the rubber and make it difficult for the treads to grip the road. Winter tires, and those with studs, are better equipped for extreme temperatures and slippery conditions as they stay softer in the cold to get more traction.

What you may not know is that you should switch over to winter tires when the temperature hits around 7 degrees Celsius! That may seem too warm, but its exactly when all-season tires stop doing their job.

Keep Washer Fluid Full

Driving in wet conditions means you’ll be cleaning your windshield way more than usual. This is also true for clearing off snow and ice. Get in the habit of keeping your washer fluid as full as possible so you don’t find yourself with reduced visibility at a bad time! It’s smart to also keep a couple jugs of washer fluid in the back just in case.

Check Your Battery

Your battery might be working fine now, but that doesn’t mean it’ll work when the temperature drops. Cars can be harder to start in the winter, and you might need a more powerful battery depending on the age and condition of your vehicle. It’s better to find that out now than when you’re already late for work and your car refuses to start!

Did we miss anything? Do you have any winterizing tips and tricks? Let us know!