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cold weather driving tips
Fall and winter are hard on improperly maintained automobiles. Cold temperatures can increase wear on tires, belts, and hoses, render weak batteries useless, and can cause inadequately protected engine cooling systems to freeze. Motorists unfortunate enough to experience a winter breakdown can also find themselves facing life-threatening weather in addition to the dilemmas of unsafe or unfamiliar surroundings.
MAKE SURE YOUR CAR IS PREPARED FOR COLD WEATHER Here are some tips to follow when preparing for cold weather driving. |
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Air Filter: In cold weather a dirty or clogged air filter will do more to affect performance and fuel economy than in the summer months. Cold air is denser than warm air and is more dependent on a clean filter to flow efficiently into the carburetor or fuel injection system for complete combustion. Battery: In winter temperatures it can take up to five times more battery power to start a car than when the thermometer reads a mild 65 or 75 degrees. If the battery or any other part of the car's electrical system is in marginal shape, you will have difficulty in cold weather. If your battery is more than three years old, the typical lifespan of most batteries, you are probably living on borrowed time. Have a mechanic or automotive technicians run a battery load test and check the complete electrical system, including the battery's reserve capacity. Replace severely corroded connectors. Have your voltage regulator checked, too. Cooling System: Flush the system and fill with the anti-freeze (coolant)/water mixture recommended by your owner's manual (a 50/50 solution is a good rule of thumb). Gasoline: Always keep the gas tank as full as possible to minimize condensation, and prevent fuel contamination. Modern engines with fuel injection are especially fussy about getting their fill of clean gas. Ignition: Wet weather can dampen an enthusiastic response from your car's engine, especially if it is an older car without electronic ignition. Worn points in the distributor, an old condenser, or a cracked distributor cap, combined with moisture, can make a car hard to start. And on cars of any age, frayed spark plug wires or dirty spark plugs will also cause starting problems. Starting: Let your car warm up from one to two minutes before driving during winter temperatures so the oil circulates to all moving parts. Tires: On most new cars, all-season radial tires are standard equipment. They work well under most weather conditions. Check tire pressure once a week, especially in cold weather. Pressure can drop one pound per square inch (psi) for every ten degrees that the temperature drops. Remember to be sure that your spare tire is also properly inflated. Windshield Wiper and Washers: Check your wipers for proper functioning. Wiper blades that streak the windshield should be replaced. Worn out wiper blades could also scratch your windshield. The washer reservoir bottle should be filled with an anti-freeze washer solvent. Sometimes you will hear windshield wiper chatter when your wipers are working? This is because of an oily film that develops on your windshield. To cure that problem, wipe your windshield down with rubbing alcohol. The cold months are the hardest on your car. The sooner you are prepared, the better off you will be as we face cold weather outbreaks.
Article courtesy of US Army Corps of Engineers. For more cold weather tips visit their website at www.nad.usace.army.mil/cold_weather_driving_tips.htm
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