Winter car care tips

Winter is hard on your car

As the new year rolls around, every vehicle owner must decide how to help their vehicle last another year and beyond. But did you know that winter, with cooler temperatures, extreme temperature changes and other factors, is the heaviest season for car health? With that in mind, you may need some advice on winter car care.

For the continued success of the car, drivers need to be more intentional and focused on how they handle their cars in the second half of this winter season. Luckily, the Performance Muffler team has some winter car care tips for you. In this article, we'll walk you through everything from your battery, fluids, tires and more.

Winter car care tip #1: Maintain your tires regularly  

Low temperatures have a significant impact on car tires. Low temperatures compress the air and compress the air in car tires causing them to lose pressure a lot. When the tire pressure is less, your car performs worse. More effort is required to move, braking and traction are reduced, and your safety is at risk.

Visit a tire mechanic and checking your tires will help you get through the winter. But something you can do for yourself is to check your tire pressure regularly and inflate them as needed. Having a pressure gauge in your tires and a portable air compressor in your car guarantees quick response and safety in the event of low tire pressure.

Winter car care tip #2: Keep your gas tank half full.

This advice actually applies to car care all year round, but it's especially true in winter. Keeping the gas tank halfway helps your car run better because the fuel pump will suck in air if the gas is too low, leading to more drastic repairs down the road.

But keeping your gas tank half full in winter is also good because you can warm up your car more comfortably before driving. If you also get into an accident (which happens more often in winter), you can be sure that you will be able to drive your car for safety and warmth.

Winter Car Maintenance Tip #3: Maintain your car battery

In winter, a car battery is harder to work than in summer because low temperatures slow down its chemical reactions. So in the cold, the battery works harder. Because of this, your car battery is more likely to die in winter.

Equip your car with a couple of jumper cables (make sure you know how to jumpstart your car) and watch for any warning signs that you might need a new car battery. These signs include slower engine start times, dimmer lights, bad smells, rusty connectors, and more.

Winter Car Care Tip #4: Keep an eye on fluid changes

Because your car works harder in the winter and the low temperatures change the viscosity of some fluids, fluids may seem to disappear more quickly during this time. This fluid maintenance includes engine oil, brake fluid, and transmission fluid. But most of all, coolant and windshield washer fluid suffer from cold and winter.

Winter car care tip #5: Check your headlights

Our final winter car care tip is to check your headlights monthly. During the winter season, of course, there is more precipitation and it is darker, which means that your car's headlights are essential for safe driving. Have a family member or friend double check that all of your lamps are working properly because you don't want to put off replacing a lamp.

An effective muffler can help you have a safe winter

Since 2007, Performance Muffler has been the premier exhaust, catalytic converter, and exhaust repair shop in Phoenix, Arizona. Contact us today to find out the value of your vehicle, or browse our blog for more automotive tips and tricks.