Prepare Your Car for the Winter with This Checklist

(NC) Getting your car winter-ready at the beginning of the season will keep your family safer when temperatures drop and means you’ll have one less thing to worry about when a storm hits. Here are the areas you should focus on, with expert advice everyone can understand.
Lights. Ensure all your exterior lights and signals are working, which are even more important in snowy conditions with limited visibility.
Tires. Once the temperature drops to 7°C, it’s time to switch all of your tires for winter ones. And while it’s tempting, don’t try to get away with “all-season” tires — their rubber hardens as temperatures drop, making them lose their grip. Winter tires are made of rubber that’s designed to gain grip as temperatures fall and have sipes that help keep the contact areas of your tire dry. Regularly check the tire pressure of all four of your tires and the spare.
Battery. Make sure your battery is in good working order and that terminals and cable ends are free from corrosion.
Windshield. Replace your washer fluid with antifreeze and check that your wiper blades completely clear the glass with each swipe. Consider switching to winter wiper blades that are designed for harsher conditions. You can also try replacing just the rubber squeegee strip rather than the whole blade.
Emergency kit. Update your kit with seasonal basics like gloves, boots, a hat, a blanket, winter jacket, an ice scraper, shovel, bag of salt or gravel, and antifreeze. Year round your kit should include booster cables, extra windshield washer fluid, flares, a flashlight, safety triangles, and a first aid kit.
Body. Rust protection is an excellent investment as it reduces vehicle maintenance costs, increases resale value, and contributes to a safer vehicle — but it’s important to choose the right product to ensure adequate protection against corrosion. Krown’s rust protection is self-healing and is constantly creeping, remaining active to continuously repel moisture and keep it away from the metal surface. Penetrating into even the tightest seams and spot welds, its effective protection also lubricates many moving parts such as door locks, brake cables, and power antennas.