Winter driving often proves tricky and dangerous for even the most seasoned drivers on the road. In this blog entry, the Chicagoland vehicle recovery and heavy duty towing experts here at Towing Chicago will detail some important factors of analyzing your vehicle to ensure it’s prepared for safe driving during the frigid and snowy Winter months in the Chicago area.
Verifying Proper Vehicle Fluid Level
Always check the fluid levels of your vehicle by checking underneath the vehicle’s hood. This is especially important during the Winter, as cold temperatures can quickly stress out your engine. Make sure to check your vehicle’s oil levels – and make sure that your vehicle receives an oil change when it’s due to. Make sure to check the ratio of water to antifreeze in your vehicle, and adjust it if need be. There should be about a half-to-half ratio of water to antifreeze, and if you’re planning on driving in very cold temperatures, you can adjust this ratio to 60% antifreeze and 40 percent water. Additionally, make sure to check your washer fluid, and top it with washer fluid with antifreeze.
Battery Testing
Make sure to test your battery regularly. Winter is a time in which its very stupid to stress your battery out. Engines need more battery power to start in cold weather, so batteries with low energy simply won’t do the job. Use a home battery testing kit to check how much battery life you have, or just take your vehicle to get tested at a mechanic.
Emergency Kits
Make sure that there’s always an emergency kit present in your vehicle to help you be prepared in the event of a breakdown or accident. If you have an emergency kit already, make sure it has all the items you need, and replace any expired items like medicine or worn out batteries. If you don’t have an emergency kit, make sure to get one, and fill it with vital supplies like road flairs, bankets, flashlights, gloves, and extra batteries. If you’re driving in the mountains or in very snowy areas, make sure that your emergency kit includes tire chains. And don’t forget spare tires and a tire changing kit!