Winter can wreak havoc on your vehicle thanks to cold temperatures, salted roads, snow, and ice. And not properly preparing your car for the season can shave years off its life and make driving more dangerous.
Get your car ready for winter by adhering to these five winter car service tips.
5 Car Maintenance Tips for Winter Driving
Replace your wiper blades
Wiper blades have to work even harder in the winter months when frost, sleet, and snow do battle with your windshield. Swap out your wiper blades at the beginning of each winter season with a fresh set of Motorcraft® wiper blades to ensure you can see clearly in challenging conditions.
Park indoors
If possible, keep your car parked in a garage during periods of cold weather to protect the battery. If you do not have a garage, start your car on any day that you are not using it and allow the engine to idle for a minute or two. You can also consider using a Covercraft car cover to protect the body of your car from the elements.
Use thinner oil
Cold weather causes oil to thicken, and when it does, it can restrict its flow to vital parts of the engine. There are thinner “winter-grade” oils that can be used to provide better lubrication throughout the engine.
Use gas line antifreeze
Severe cold can cause the gas line in your tank to freeze, preventing the car from starting. Adding some gas line antifreeze to your tank before filling up can protect the gas line from freezing. Some gas stations, especially in colder climates, already add antifreeze to their gas during winter, so be sure to ask if you aren’t sure!
Install snow tires
Less of a maintenance measure and more of a safety precaution, keeping a set of snow tires on hand and putting them on each winter can greatly increase your traction on snow and ice while reducing stopping distance.
Winterize Your Car at Stearns Ford
Don’t spend another winter unprepared. Schedule a car service appointment at Stearns Ford in Burlington, North Carolina, to properly equip your car, truck, or SUV for the winter season. You can shop for Ford parts and accessories directly, but if you still can’t find what you need, our experts can track it down for you. Winterize your car and retake control of the road.
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