Preparing your vehicle for winter conditions

Winter weather poses significant hazards when it comes to staying safe on the road. No matter how old your vehicle is, it's a good idea to review a pre-season checklist and make sure your vehicle is ready to take on the cold, the snow and the ice. Here's a good pre-season checklist. If you aren't able to perform all of these yourself, drop in to a reputable service station or see your dealer for help.

Winter Pre-Season Checklist

1. Snow tires: Remember when your dad used to keep a separate set of tires in the shed or garage? Before all season radials became the norm, having a set of snow tires to put on for winter was standard practice. While tire technology has come a long way, "all season" tires simply can't compete with real snow tires when it comes to traction in slippery, sloppy conditions. Check with local tire dealers to see how affordable winter traction can be. Snow tires will make your ride a safer one and it will extend the life of your performance tires by keeping winter mileage off of them.
2. Tire Pressure: Properly inflated tires are vital to getting peak performance and fuel economy out of your vehicle and cold temperatures w impact your tire pressure. Use tire pressure with a gauge, available at any auto parts store. Keep one in your car, and maintain pressure as indicated on the sidewall of the tire.
3. Storm Blades (windshield wipers): Windshield wipers should be changed any time they get worn to the point where it impacts your vision, and no less than annually. Spend the extra couple of bucks and get a set of storm blades that incorporate a protective rubber boot over the wiper to improve performance in rain, snow and sleet.
4. Inspect your battery: We've all been there, stranded with a dead battery. Cold and darkness makes this experience much worse. Spend a little time with your battery. Make sure your battery posts and connections are clean and corrosion free and check the water level. If your battery is 3 years old or older, have a service station test it's ability to hold a charge. You can also find an inexpensive battery tester at an auto parts store.
5. Check your antifreeze: No, not the windshield washer fluid, (though that should be kept filled all season long), we're talking about you're engine's antifreeze. Once again, you can pick up a tester an an auto parts store and test it yourself, or have a certified automotive technician quickly test the mixture of your antifreeze and let you know if your system should be flushed and re-filled.
6. Four wheel drive system: If your vehicle is equipped with four wheel drive, test it to make sure that the system engages and functions properly. Most people don't need four wheel drive in the warmer months, so the engaging components can corrode or seize after long periods of inactivity. If it makes loud noises, get it in to your repair man before the snow flies.
7. Belts and Hoses: The cold has a way of speeding up the wearing process on rubber. Even newer cars can experience premature wear & tear on belts and hoses. Have your belts and hoses checked.
8. Need an oil change?Oil should never be neglected, but if you haven't had yours changed at appropriate intervals, it could come back to haunt you. Oil thickens in cold weather and without the proper viscosity it won't properly lubricate your engine. Old AND cold is just asking for trouble. Get your oil changed on time!
9. Keep an emergency kit: We all know who Murphy was. Even if you follow all of the steps above, we can't guaranty you won't break down. Be prepared in the event that you do by keeping an emergency kit in your car. Here are some items to consider keeping in your emergency kit:

• Blanket
• extra set of warm/dry clothes
• gloves (both warm and work gloves)
• Water and food (candy, power bars)
• jumper cables
• flares
• shovel
• flashlight
• tool kit
• first aid kit
• paper or terry towels
• bucket or bag of sand or kitty litter to use for traction
• durable, strong rope
• bottle of windshield washer fluid