Santa Rosa, CA – Important Winter Safety Tips from a Local Auto Mechanic

Low temperatures and snowy roads got you worried about driving your car?

Don’t worry! Our tips will get you and your car prepped for long drives during the winter months.

Snow is magical and exciting for everyone, but the cold brings its own set of challenges while driving. Winter auto maintenance is an important safety measure for you, the passengers, and the drivers around you. Mechanics receive an innumerable number of calls to come and deal with frozen spark plugs, frozen locks, and dead batteries in the cold. Here, we have compiled a list of tips that can help you prevent from getting stuck on the road:

1. Try to Keep Your Fuel Tank Full:

As condensation can creep in and freeze in the open space of your gas tank, you should take care to keep your gas tank at least half full. Keeping the gas tank full prevents condensation from freezing which can cause blockage in the fuel line preventing you from starting or running your engine.

2. Check Your Tires:

Before venturing out on long drives in the cold, you should always check your tire pressure and the tires as well. The cold can deflate your tires considerably, which may impact vehicle handling and brake response time. For safe driving, keeping the tire pressure at the correct pressure mentioned in the car manual is always recommended.

3. Check the Fluids of Your Car:

Inspecting the antifreeze fluid/water mixture of your car can help the long-term performance of your car and ensure your car runs smoothly without any breakdowns. You can inspect the brake fluid, engine oil, and transmission fluid yourself or have it examined by a professional at the start of the winter season.

4. Protect Your Car From the Snow:

The slush of snow and salt on the roads can prove to be corrosive for your car. To prevent rust and external damage to your car, you should regularly wash and clean your car in the winter months to remove any excess salt from the exterior.

5. Check Your Brakes:

While driving on frozen and prone-to-accident roads, it is best to drive with extreme care. Moreover, it is equally important to ensure that your brakes work optimally in these conditions. Make brake inspection a part of your routine winter tune-up to always be on the safe side.

6. Invest in Winter Windshield Wiper Blades:

The cold can cause your windshield wipers to freeze, and uncleared snow can obstruct your vision. Always keep the snow off your windshield for better and safer driving with special winter windshield wipers.

7. Get Your Routine Maintenance Done:

No one can prep a car for the winter better than an experienced mechanic. Get your batteries, spark plugs, and fluids inspected by a professional, along with your routine winter tune-up. Delaying it may cause your car to break down in the middle of an icy road in December.

Get in Touch

At North Bay Bavarian, we have trustworthy, expert mechanics who can perform special and routine checks for you and get your car winter-ready in no time.