Check out how to avoid trouble during winter driving
Difficulties with starting the engine, icing on windows, freezing of locks are just some of the problems that drivers face in winter frosts. We advise what to do in order not to stay ... on the ice due to low temperatures and snowfall.
Even before winter sets in, we should check the fluid in the cooling system. If there is water there that freezes, it can even end up repairing the engine. The cost of checking the coolant is about PLN 20, but in some services we will even do it for free.
THE BATTERY IS THE BASIS
The battery is an element that you need to pay attention to when using a car in winter. Only when it is in proper condition can we count on trouble-free starting of the engine. – When using the vehicle for short distances, such as to and from work, you may suspect that the battery in your vehicle will not be sufficiently charged. So it’s worth sometimes charging it with automatic chargers available on the market, advises Aleksander Vilkosh, a parts and accessories dealer at the Honda Cichoński car dealership in Kielce.
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Alternatively, instead of buying such a device, which costs from a few tens to a few hundred zlotys, we should go on an onward trip to family or friends for the weekend, so that during a longer trip, the generator installed in our car can recharge battery. .
DIESEL NOTE
Another thing we need to check is when the fuel filter was last changed. During parking, water vapor settles on the walls of an empty tank, which, after condensation, enters the fuel. If there is water in the filter, it may freeze, damaging the vehicle. So it will be a good idea to often fill up the car under a traffic jam. Winter weather is also a period of special care for vehicles with diesel engines. Diesel fuel is more susceptible to low temperatures than gasoline. The paraffinic hydrocarbons in this fuel may crystallize and release paraffin crystals. As a result, the fuel becomes cloudy and larger particles block the flow of diesel fuel through the filter and fuel lines. Therefore, in extremely low conditions, it is worth using special fuels available at some stations, or adding depressant additives to the tank, which can also be bought at automotive stores. (price PLN 30-40 per liter of packaging).
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In the case of turbocharged vehicles - petrol and diesel units - wait a while after starting the engine. Experts also recommend that after the start, for the first or two kilometers, you drive carefully and avoid high revs. “When hot exhaust gases enter a cold turbocharger, the bearing of the turbine rotor can be damaged,” warns Alexander Vilkosh.
STARCH AND REST
A big problem for drivers in winter is also the fight against snow and frost, which sometimes cover the entire body of the car. Many drivers use scrapers and brushes to quickly and effectively clean the body and especially the windows, but aerosol de-icers are becoming more and more popular, which can be purchased for 10-15 zł.
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Recently, however, anti-icing mats, which are placed on the windshield, have been making a real career. “In recent days, interest in de-icers and scrapers has increased,” says Andrzej Chrzanowski, owner of the Mot-Pol store on Warszawska Street in Kielce. “But the anti-icing mats are already sold out to the last position,” he adds. In a car shop, we will pay for such a rug from 10 to 12 zł.
PATH FOR LOCKS AND SEALS
In case we can't turn the key in the door, it's worth investing a few zlotys in the lock's de-icer. Of course, we must keep it at home or in the garage, and not in a car that we cannot enter. Another obstacle on the way to our vehicle can be seals. To prevent them from sticking to the door at low temperatures, you need to protect them with a special spray that costs less than 10 PLN.
