How to prepare your car for winter?

Winter is a difficult adversary - unexpected and unpleasant. It can attack unexpectedly and last for a long time. You must be well prepared to meet her, otherwise she will take advantage of our weaknesses. What can we, the drivers, do to weaken his attack and get out of this duel without loss?

First: tires. For many years there has been a debate about whether to install winter tires - definitely! – Winter tires offer greater safety, shorter braking distances on ice and snow, and better handling. Remember that proper tire condition is just as important as tire type. The Ordinance of the Minister of Infrastructure on the technical condition of vehicles and the scope of their necessary equipment of 2003 establishes a minimum tread height of 1,6 mm. This is the minimum value - however, in order for the tire to guarantee its full properties, the tread height must be min. 3-4 mm, - warns Radoslav Jaskulsky, an instructor at the Skoda driving school.

Second: the battery. We don't remember it for most of the year, we remember it in winter, most often when it's too late. Then we have no choice but to wait for a taxi or a friendly driver who, thanks to the connecting connecting cables, will help us start the car. If we start the machine on the so-called "Short", do not forget to connect the cables in the correct order and do not mix up the poles. First we connect the positive poles, and then the negative ones, remove them in the reverse order - first negative, then positive.

Before winter, check the battery - if the charging voltage is too low, charge it. It is also worth cleaning the battery and terminals before winter. Well, if we fix them with technical vaseline. When starting and driving, especially at short distances, try to limit the energy receivers - they will weaken our battery, and we will not restore this energy over a short distance.

Third: suspension. Broken springs increase stopping distance by 5%. Suspension and steering play impairs handling. You also need to check the brakes. Make sure the pads are in good condition, check whether the braking forces are evenly distributed between the axles. Do not forget that the brake fluid must be changed every two years.

Fourth: wipers and washer fluid. Before the winter season, we recommend replacing the wipers, and this must be done if the wiper brush is torn or hardened. As a preventive measure, we can take the wipers out at night so that they do not stick to the glass, or lay a piece of cardboard between the wiper and the glass - this will also protect the wipers from freezing. Separately, you should pay attention to the windshield washer fluid - replace it with a winter one.

Fifth: light. Working lights will give us good visibility. During daily use, we must remember to clean regularly, and before the season we must make sure that the lighting is in working order. If we get the impression that it is not properly lit, we must adjust it. Research by the Automotive Institute shows that only 1% of cars have two bulbs that exactly meet the criteria set out in the regulations.