Gear Up For Winter Driving With These Car Maintenance Tips

As summer gives way to fall and winter, you want to make sure your car is ready to handle the harsh conditions. We’ve pooled the collective knowledge of the technicians in our service center to bring you these car maintenance tips for the colder months of the year.

How To Prepare Your Car for Winter Weather

Don’t Tread Lightly

The tires are the only areas where you vehicle comes in contact with the road surface. If the air pressure and tread are too low, you’ll experience diminished traction on wet or slick conditions. You should check the tire pressure regularly to make sure it meets the manufacturer’s specifications. Doing so will prevent premature wear and improve your fuel efficiency.

Grab a penny and insert it with Abraham Lincoln’s head toward the tread to check the tread depth. If you see all of Abe’s head, the tread is too worn and the tire needs to be replaced.

In Wisconsin where we get a lot of snow, you could opt to mount snow tires on your vehicle during the winter months. These tires will help deliver proper traction for tackling snow, slush, and ice.

At our service center, we’re happy to check your tires, rotate them, and suggest replacement options for worn tires.

Replace Fluids

Before the temperatures drop and the snow starts to fall, you’ll want to refill or replace all the fluids in your vehicle, including coolant, oil, and windshield wiper fluid. Depending upon your make and model, a technician may suggest replacing certain fluids for ones that will help your vehicle perform better in the cold weather.

By swapping coolant for an antifreeze/water mixture, you’ll protect your engine against freezing in sub-zero temperatures. Regular oil can become thicker when cold, which is why some technicians suggest switching to a winter-grade oil. You can also keep your windshield clear of snow and ice with freeze-resistant wiper fluid.

Our technicians have the expertise and training to change out any fluids to keep your vehicle running at peak levels this fall and winter.

Start Me Up

Making sure your battery is ready for the harsh winter months is crucial. With a quick check, you can tighten any loose connections around the terminals, inspect cables for cracks and breaks, and check the battery fluid level.

We offer battery testing at our dealership and can replace any battery to ensure you have the starting power needed to handle the brutal Wisconsin winters.

Prep Your Vehicle at the Zimbrick Hyundai West Service Center

If you’re looking for Hyundai service in Madison, WI, head to Zimbrick Hyundai West where you can schedule service today to get your vehicle ready for winter driving.

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