![]() ![]() It’s dark for longer periods in winter, and you’re more likely to encounter rain, sleet and snow. Most wiper blade packaging has a list of compatible cars, but if you’re in doubt ask the shop assistant or speak to your car’s main dealer. It’s a five minute job to change your windscreen wipers on most cars, but ensure you buy the right ones. They could also cause your car to fail its MoT test. If they’re smearing or failing to clear the front or rear windscreens effectively, they’ll need replacing. If your windscreen wipers are old, have perished rubber blades or are worn, they won’t work effectively, meaning it can be hard to see the road ahead. All screen washes are marked with the lowest temperature they’re suitable for and you’ll often need to make the mixture stronger for winter, as this helps to prevent the solution from freezing. Screen wash has a lower freezing temperature than water alone, meaning you shouldn’t end up with frozen washer jets. You can buy ready-mixed or concentrated screen wash (you’ll need to mix the latter with water). To ensure this doesn’t happen, open the windscreen washer bottle under the bonnet and fill it with screen wash. There’s a high risk of them smearing grime across the windscreen if your screen wash bottle is empty. Wintry roads are frequently damp, meaning you’ll spend lots of time using your windscreen wipers. Put the antifreeze back in the car’s system and replace the cap. You can then read the freezing point of the antifreeze using the scale inside the tester. Lower the tube into the coolant and squeeze the rubber bulb on the end to suck some antifreeze inside the tester. You’ll usually find the coolant reservoir next to the radiator at the front of the engine, but check your car’s handbook for confirmation. To use it, unscrew the coolant reservoir cap under the bonnet after making sure the engine is cold. To test the effectiveness of your antifreeze, you’ll need an antifreeze tester, which cost about £5. Check antifreezeĪntifreeze, as its name suggests, stops the water in the engine’s cooling system from freezing. Make sure you read the owner’s manual, and take care when handling lead acid car batteries because they’re as heavy as they sound. If you’re going down the self-fit route, it’s essential you know the right battery for your car, as there are dozens of combinations. Although you can jump start a car, or remove it to charge indoors, it’s easier to get the battery checked and replaced while the car is able to start under its own power. If you can drive your car, your local main dealer or car spares shop will be able to fit it for you too. It’s possible to check the condition of your own car battery if you have the correct equipment, but it’s far easier to ask a specialist at your local garage or car battery retailer. If your car has stop-start technology and it’s not working very often, this is another sign that your battery might be on its way out. If the car is taking longer than usual to start, you may need a new battery. Should the car fail to start, check our guide to see if it’s the battery that’s the problem or something else. There’s little worse than the mechanical groan from a slurring starter caused by a car battery in its death throes. If your battery isn’t in tip-top condition, the cold and damp could kill it – particularly if you don’t drive the car very often or for long distances. But don’t pay for an extra service if you don’t need one – getting problems rectified as you find them will be far cheaper. If your car is due to be serviced as winter approaches, many of these will be looked at, so you don’t have to. Many of these are really simple to do, so don’t think we’re excluding you if you’ve got little mechanical knowledge or interest. Most of these winter car checks aren’t that different from the checks you should make throughout the year, but there are a few you should pay special attention to. We’ve outlined the most important ones below, although there are no shortage of garages, fast-fit centres, car accessory shops and main dealers offering winter car services who can do this for you.īest 4x4s and SUVs of this year Winter car maintenance checklist Road salt and grime can also cause problems, and can quicken the appearance of rust if left unchecked for long periods of time.įortunately, there are a number of simple checks you can do yourself to ensure your car remains free from faults – and on the road – all through the winter. Snow and ice generates cold and damp, which can be very bad news for cars. If your car has any developing faults, winter is the time when they’ll be exposed. ![]()
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