Vital Car Care Tips to Help Prevent Winter Breakdowns

Ask any auto shop in the area, like us here at Grove Collision Repairs in Spruce Grove, and they’ll tell you that winter is the worst time of year for car breakdowns and other automotive problems. This is especially true in an area like Alberta which can have extremely harsh winters.

And as much trouble as car breakdowns are normally, they’re far worse in the winter, or potentially even dangerous. Protecting your car – and yourself – in winter is extremely important!

Here are some issues to pay attention to.

Five Ways to Protect Your Vehicle in The Winter

1 – Inspect your tire tread

When the roads are slick with ice or snow, you need reliable traction. Have you checked your tread lately? If not, the reliable nickel test still works. Insert a nickel into your tread with Queen Elizabeth’s head facing down, and see how much is covered up. If you can still see the top of her crown, your treads are too shallow to maintain a safe grip and need to be replaced.

2 – Add some air to your tires

The proper amount of pressure in your tires will depend on the tire and manufacturer, but whatever the recommended PSI is, add another 3-5 PSI to account for shrinkage in the winter. Otherwise, they could end up under-inflated due to the cold.

3 – Check your windshield wipers and fluid

Make sure your wipers are wiping properly, rather than smearing. If they’re worn, this is a good time to replace them – they’re cheap!  Also, are you using anti-freezing wiper fluid? If you refilled your wiper fluid in the summer, the fluid may not be suitable for winter use, or potentially even make your visibility worse if you try to use it!

4 – Pay close attention to your brakes

Do your brakes feel spongy when you depress the pedal, or do you hear any kind of metallic or scraping sound when they’re in use? If so, get your car to an auto shop pronto.  Brake problems are the biggest contributor to winter-time accidents.

5 – Wash your car frequently

This is protection for your paint because the salt used to keep roads de-iced is terrible for paint jobs. Get frequent car washes to prevent the salt from eating your paint job, particularly if you’re driving on slushy roads.

About Grove Collision Repairs

We are one of the leading single location auto body shops in Spruce Grove, AB, specializing in autobody repair, collision repairs, auto painting and  autobody work for over 40 years. Need a trustworthy body shop? Contact us at Grove Collision Repairs today!