How to prepare your car for winter driving

Winter can be tough on your car, more than any other time of the year. Keith Miller, former AA Patrolman of the year says “While the cold can cause lots of problems for cars, up to half of them can be prevented by regular servicing and maintenance checks” 

Here’s my 7 best tips for ensuring that your car doesn’t let you down and to avoid costly visits to the garage. 

Winter Tip #1 – Get your car serviced

If your car is due a service, get it done before the winter. Garages get really busy during the winter month repairing vehicles with cold weather issues.  

As a garage owner, I can confirm that our lead times usually extend to three to four weeks during the winter, meaning that if you have an issue, it could mean that your car could be off the road for several weeks.

Winter Tip #2 – Check your battery

RAC patrols deal with over 400,000 battery related faults every winter. The winter months put additional strain on your vehicle’s battery. Heater blowers, heated seats and the heated rear window all take additional power from your battery. 

If you find that certain electrical devices are not working as they should, ie your radio won’t switch on, or your Stop/Start system has stopped, then it could be a sign that your battery is about to fail  

Car batteries have an effective working life of approx 5-7 years. So, if your vehicle is older than this, it is advisable to get your battery checked by your local garage.  Most garages will carry out a free battery and alternator check.

Winter Tip #3 – Check your anti-freeze

Anti-freeze not only protects the engine from freezing when the temperatures plummet below freezing, but it also protects the cooling system and prevents corrosion.  

If you’ve had to top up the cooling system with water, you’ve been diluting the strength of the anti-freeze and putting your engine at risk of freezing up or over-heating.  

Anti-freeze degrades over time which can lead to the build-up of sludge, debris and sediment inside the cooling system. This can cause damage to the water pump, thermostat or radiator, which could lead to costly a break-down. 

Anti-freeze is a serviceable item and requires replacing at regular intervals. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend replacing anti-freeze every two-three years.  

If you are going to check your anti-freeze, please be careful when opening the reservoir cap, as pressure can build-up and can spray anti-freeze over you and the engine.  

If you need to top up your coolant, ensure that you use the correct type of coolant. Please refer to your owner’s handbook, as mixing different types can cause engine damage. 

Why get your hands dirty or risk engine damage, most garages will carry out a free anti-freeze check. 

Winter Tip #4 – Check your tyres

Tyres are the only part of the car in contact with the ground, so it’s essential they’re in good condition. This is always the case regardless of the weather, but it’s of particular importance when it’s wet and icy. 

The legal limit is 1.6mm. A quick and easy way to see if your tyres tread exceed the minimum legal tread depth is to take the 20p test. 

Simply place a 20p coin into the main tread grooves of your tyre. If the outer band of the 20p coin is obscured when it is inserted, then your tread is above the legal limit. If the outer band of the coin is visible, then your tyres may be illegal and unsafe and should be checked immediately by a qualified tyre professional. 

When taking the test, remember to check at least three locations around each tyre. As the test is so quick and easy, stay safe by checking your tyres at least once a month. 

When you’re getting fuel, check your tyre pressures. Incorrect tyre pressures can cause excessive wear to suspension and steering components, cause irregular tyre wear and can decrease your fuel economy. 

Why get on your knees, most garages will carry out a free tyre check. 

Winter Tip #5 – Check your lights

It is the law that your car’s lights, indicators and rear reflectors are clean and working. Do a walk around test with all the lights on.  

To check your brake lights, park close to your garage door or window. To remove road grime, wash with soapy water and clean off with a window cleaner.  

If you have a defective bulb, ask your local garage. If they only take a few minutes to fit, most will only charge you for the bulb.

Winter Tip #6 – Windscreen and wipers 

Give your windscreen a thorough clean inside and out using a car glass cleaner, which you can purchase on Amazon for a fiver (which will be enough to last years).   

Top your screen wash reservoir using a quality screen wash, again for around a fiver at supermarkets and on Amazon. Don’t be tempted to use washing up liquid, as it causes the screen wash to congeal and block up the pump and washer jets. 

Don’t use your wipers to clear the windscreen if it is icy or covered in snow, as wiper blades can freeze to the windscreen, causing the wiper system to blow a fuse. Clear your windscreen and ensure that they will lift off the screen before switching them on.  

If your wiper blades are noisy, leaving streaks or juddering, then it’s time to replace them. Main dealers charge a fortune, for example a 2018 BMW 5 series are over £61 from a main dealer, they’ll even charge you for fitting them. Vehicle manufacturers do not make wiper blades, they are usually made by either Bosch, Hella or Valeo and are packaged in the vehicle manufacturer’s boxes.  

Buying them either on line or from your independent garage will usually save you up to 50%. Most independents don’t charge for fitting wiper blades too. 

Check for chips in the windscreen, as these can spread in the cold weather. Large windscreen chips are in the driver’s field of vision can fail an MOT test, so it’s best to get them checked and repaired.  

Most fully comprehensive insurance policies will pay for a windscreen repair. 

Winter Tip #7 – Prepare for your journey 

Scrape your whole windscreen and brush off any snow, don’t be tempted to use hot water, it’ll crack your windscreen and will cost you dearly. 

Before setting off on a long journey, check the weather forecast and travel news. I use the free ‘Waze’ app which provides real time traffic alerts.  

Allow extra journey time to avoid having to rush and drive according to the road and weather conditions. Just in case you are held up in traffic, keep more fuel than normal. 

Don’t forget to pack the winter essentials, including; a torch, phone charger, hi-vis vest, a map, an ice-scraper and de-icer. 

Check your breakdown cover is in place and that it covers you for at home non-starts too, as this is where most breakdowns occur. 

 Lastly, if you are a service customer of ours, pop in and collect a free windscreen ice-scraper.