How to Get Your Car Ready for Winter

 

Prior to the winter months, it’s a good idea to prepare your car for cold weather. The team at B&M know how to get your car ready for winter. They recommend that you:

• Get your car serviced
• Check your tire pressure
• Change your oil
• Stock up on engine coolant with antifreeze
• Wash your windscreen and wipers

Winter weather can present major challenges for drivers. At this time of year, snow and ice can make surfaces treacherous, auto parts can become negatively affected as the temperature drops and visibility can be reduced by fog, grit and sand.

It’s a good idea to make sure your car is in a good condition for winter driving. This B&M guide on how to get your car ready for winter will help you make sure everything is ready.

Get Your Car Serviced

Small defects and faults can become exacerbated in the cold weather. Get your car to the local garage in good time before winter truly sets in.

The professionals there will change your oil and filter, check your engine is properly tuned, and look at your tire pressure, brakes, steering and lights.

Check Your Tyre Pressure

As the temperature drops, your tyre pressure is likely to go down.

You should keep checking your own tyre pressure at every opportunity. You can do this most easily at your local petrol station. Check your owner’s manual to understand the right level for your vehicle.

You can then use a specialist foot pump with a pressure gauge to make sure the air is properly topped up.

B&M Top Tip: You’ll get the most accurate tire pressure reading from cold tyres.

Change Your Oil

Motor oil thickens in the cold, slowing its flow. This puts additional pressure on your battery.

Therefore, it’s important to regularly check and change your oil as part of your winter car care routine. 

B&M Top Tip: We recommend keeping a container of oil with you as part of an emergency kit, which should also include your pump, a wheel nut wrench, a first aid kit, a hi-vis jacket, a warning triangle, a torch, a blanket, ice scrapers, replacement bulbs and jump start leads.

Stock up on Engine Coolant with Antifreeze

Even in the depths of winter, your engine will need an effective cooling system. The best winter coolants have antifreeze in the mix, helping your vehicle to function perfectly even at very low temperatures.

Wash Your Windscreen & Wipers

The cold can even affect your wiper blades. Along with grit, salt and dirty slush on the road, this can leave your glass streaky and your visibility poor.

Wash your wiper blades regularly and make sure they remain in proper contact with the windscreen.

You should also get hold of a good ice-resistant screen wash and a de-icer to quickly clear your screen.

B&M Top Tip: Your car will likely get dirty in the winter due to the condition of the roads. Keep it looking its best with a quality car shampoo.

So now you know how to get your car ready for winter: get it serviced, make sure your tire pressure and oil are topped up, invest in coolant with antifreeze and keep your wipers in good condition.

B&M Top Tip: Browse our Winter Car Care section for all the necessary equipment keep your car running smoothly through the colder months.

What are your winter car care tips? Share them with the B&M Community via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram!