5 easy steps to prepare you car for winters

As winter approaches, you should prepare your car for the weather by doing a few things in addition to stocking up on snowsuits for the kids and sealing up drafts in your home. Besides, even though you wish you could stay indoors, cars keep you warm as they transport you to and from your locations during the winter. Hence, they deserve a little additional care. So, here are some things to consider so that your car is prepared for the upcoming cold weather.

Ways to prepare your car for winters

Begin with your tires

Performance Plus Tires recommends the following three steps to ensure that your tires are prepared for the upcoming snowy and icy season -

• To go through the snow, you need to have good traction, so ensure they are fully inflated.
• In case of unexpected blizzards, keep chains in your automobile.
• To retain control and handling in icy weather, have your wheels aligned.

Additionally, pick up a tire tread depth tester to see whether your wear reaches 4/32th inches, which might reduce stability. Or, you could consider if it's time for a new set of tires altogether.

Prepare an emergency kit

You should be ready for the worst even if you live in an urban environment and don't anticipate ever getting caught somewhere snowy with no way out. Hence, place emergency supplies in your trunk right away so that you always have them. According to Almanac, the kit must include:

• Extra blankets, hats, mittens, and socks
• A snow brush and an ice scraper
• A flashlight with extra batteries
• Jumper cables
• First-aid supplies
• Bottled water
• A multi-tool
• Reflective warning triangles and road flares
• Windshield cleaner
• A bag of sand (for traction)
• A collapsible shovel
• Hand warmers 

Check and maintain your battery

Make sure your battery is functioning properly to help you from getting stuck and needing that item. Furthermore, before it gets chilly out, Family Handyman advises testing the battery with a computerized battery tester (or having the car looked at by a professional) and replacing it if required. Moreover, disconnect the negative and positive cables from the battery, clean the terminal posts using a wire brush or battery cleaning tool, and then reattach the positive and negative cables after clearing off any oil or acid buildup (You can also request a mechanic to do this.)

Get your windows, latches, and hinges ready

Freezing water that enters window tracks during the winter might harm your window regulator cables. So, by lowering the window and spraying directly into the front and back window tracks, you can lubricate your window tracks with silicone or a dry Teflon spray. In addition, to distribute the lubrication, repeatedly open and shut the window. And even if you typically utilize remote controls to access your vehicle, you should still do this for safety's sake with your locks. Finally, grease all of your hinges and latches. Besides, you don't want to find out that opening the hood is difficult if your car won't start when it's cold outside. Additionally, the proper lube for these numerous parts will be available at your neighborhood auto shop.

Check your coolant

Your engine is shielded from freezing and cracking by coolant. So, during wintertime, you need it. Thus, make sure you have plenty. To check it, you can use coolant test strips, which are reasonably priced and simple to use. In addition, they will let you know if your coolant is still effective at preventing frost from forming. If it isn't so, get a new coolant straight away.