Importance of winterizing your vehicle

Getting stuck on the side of the road in the freezing cold is not on many people’s to-do list. Many times we can avoid that situation by making sure everything is in working order.

One of the most important things to check are your tires.

“You definitely want to make sure that you have good tread. There’s a wear bar on your tires. You want to make sure that your tread is above that, firstly. A good all-terrain tire is good, but anything is good as long as you have good tread. And you definitely want to make sure that if it’s rear-wheel drive you want to make sure your good tires are on the rear,” stated Travis Elmore, manager at Crossroads Express Lube in Bowling Green.

It’s also important to check your tire pressure once a month.

Do a thorough look over of your car. Make sure the wiper blades can handle various elements, inspect your headlights and brake lights, also check to be sure your defroster and heater work. Make sure your antifreeze and windshield washer fluid can handle subfreezing temperatures. Another important thing to check is your battery.

“Batteries tend to go bad in extreme hot or extreme cold temperatures. It’s always good to have your battery checked. I recommend at least once every 6 months. It’s really good to do it about every 3 or 4 months. But yeah in the winter time, there’s a high probability that your battery could go bad,” informed Elmore.

Even if your car is prepared for the winter, the inevitable can still happen. Make sure you have an emergency kit in your car to survive a few hours in the freezing cold.

“Always keep a blanket in the vehicle because if you are off the road for any reason, you may be waiting for a tow truck for, depending on the time, 30 minutes to an hour. Flashlight for sure. If you can, a candle or something like that. Just something that can produce some heat if need be,” Elmore advised.

It’s also recommended you keep gloves, a first aid kit, cell phone charger, and some snacks with water in the car. An ice scraper, shovel, road salt, and jumper cables may also be helpful if you get stuck.