Car care in winter
The most important thing
In cold weather, one of the most important rules of car operation is monitoring the condition of the battery. If the driver is not sure about the good performance of their battery (for example, its service life is approaching 5 years), then it is worth throwing "crocodile" clips for a charger into the trunk. With their help, you can "jump-start" from another car in case of battery failure. The main thing is to find a responsive driver.
Another important point – for wipers, you need to use a special winter washer fluid (better known as non-freezing fluid). It is also necessary to check the antifreeze level, and if instead of it distilled water is poured, it must be replaced with coolant or add antifreeze concentrate to the expansion tank in a 1:1 ratio (1 liter of water – 1 liter of concentrate).
Car body care in winter
In winter, regular car wash visits are especially important, because roads during this period are treated with special reagents, and they, as many well know, have a negative impact on the body, chassis, tires, and other parts of the car (harmful impurities can eat into the paint and begin to corrode the metal). In addition, in frosty weather, snow can stick to the wheel arches and sills of the car, which prevents the normal movement of the vehicle, which means that the driver has another reason to visit the car wash.
After washing, the car should be allowed to dry indoors so that the remaining moisture does not freeze on the car after going outside (that is, it is better to wash the car at a regular car wash – it is worth refusing self-service car washes for a while). After the main work is completed, the car can be treated with wax – it will provide additional protection for the body. It also does not hurt to treat rubber seals with lubricant or silicone to avoid tearing off door handles.
How to care for the car engine in winter
Gasoline cars are unlikely to have problems starting, but diesel cars – easily. Therefore, owners of heavy-fuel cars need to fill up with special winter diesel (it is brought to gas stations in advance, such fuel is designed for temperatures down to -20 and even -30 degrees Celsius). If frost catches you off guard, and the car has regular fuel, you can add a special anti-gel to the tank – it can be bought at any gas station.
When starting the engine, it is important to save battery charge, so it is necessary to turn off all equipment, in particular, headlights (in some cars they turn on automatically as soon as you turn the key). When the engine is started, it is better to let the car idle for a few minutes so that it warms up more or less. At the same time, the gearbox should be brought to operating temperature already during movement – with smooth, unhurried driving.
As for the oil, this point should be thought out in advance. In cold weather, it is necessary to use oil that can withstand frosts down to -30 degrees Celsius (class 5W).
