How to Easily Prep Your Car for Winter and Fall Weather

Fall and Winter are upon us and in that comes very cold snowy and icy weather for us in Kansas! I was always told you have to prep your car for winter each year, as cold weather can really take a toll on a car! My husband now went to school for mechanics, so he is really into taking car of his vehicles, and he shared some tips on what to do before the colder months hit!

Tires

This is a really big one! As it gets colder the tire pressure will change in your vehicle. You need to check and make sure it is at the correct amount of air, and then adjust if you need to. Also, make sure your tread on your tires are good, as driving on snow and ice you want really good tread so it can help you not slip and slide. If your tire tread is getting low you might think about buying new ones.

Anti-Freeze

Make sure your anti-freeze is at the right level. If your coolant system is not topped off it can lead to overheating due to freezing. It is really good to have your system flushed in the Fall before the first freeze. You can do this yourself or pay someone to.

 Deluxe Emergency Kit 4 Person Backpack

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Emergency Kit

Having an emergency kit is a great idea, this could come in handy for sure. Most everybody thinks nothing will happen to me, but to have a kit in case you get in a wreck or stuck is a great idea. You can buy kits already ready to go like this one here, or you can make your own. Having a blanket, coat, snacks like crackers or protein bars are great, and so on. Flashlights and batteries, candles and matches, all the things you would want to have in case of an emergency.

Winter Windshield Wiper Fluid

If you didn’t know not all windshield wiper fluids are the same, you can buy windshield de-icer fluid that is meant for colder months. It is made to help melt the ice and not freeze to your windshield when you use it. We buy the winter one and it works great. If you have a little ice on your windshield I run wipers and it helps melt it right off. Now if there’s a ton, of course it won’t work that good, but for a little ice it is nice! Especially if you are driving and ice develops, it can really make driving safer.

Winter Grade Oil

If you live in an are that gets pretty cold like me, you might think about switching to a winter grade oil for your next oil change! If you are not sure on what oil to run you can talk to a mechanic and they can recommend it or you can change it yourself. My husband always handles the oil changes and such. It is said to run a thinner oil in your engine in winter months, this just helps your engine run smoother. When cold weather begins to set in, you should consider switching to an oil with a lower cold weather viscosity grade.

I hope this post can help you to prepare for the colder months! I know I always wait for winter and then when I get a really cold day I pray for warmer weather! Kansas weather though can be pretty frigid, so I bundle up good when I venture out.