Fall has just started, but many places including Albuquerque are already preparing for winter due to the unusual cold occasionally creeping down from the North. It looks like you can no longer put off that car tune-up you’ve been planning since late summer. Car dealerships near Rio Rancho, NM share these helpful tips on preparing a car for winter.
Your tires need enough pressure and traction
Your tires will significantly affect your safety and comfort while driving on an icy road. Once the temperature drops below 32 degrees, the air inside your tires will contract, leading to deflation. Driving on an icy road with deflated tires is not just inefficient but also dangerous. So from now on, check your tire pressure at least weekly. Also, it may still be early, but you should start looking for winter tires. This way, you won’t deal with competition once road traction becomes a serious matter.
Don’t let the car battery die
Winter in New Mexico can be cold enough to thicken motor oil. As a result, your car engine is forced to do more work, adding strain to the battery. That’s why a dead battery is a prevalent issue during the wintertime. First, check your car’s battery for corrosion on the terminals. This is typically indicated by the presence of white powder around the terminals and connectors. Corrosion happens when the chemicals and gases inside the battery leak out and react with the metals outside. Sadly, there’s not much you can do to prevent this leak, but wiping off the corrosion can help slow down your battery’s deterioration and keep it up and running throughout winter.
Don’t forget the brakes
Unfortunately, winter tires are insufficient to maintain stability on a slippery road. Your brakes must be strong enough to keep your car from sliding out of control. Even all your car’s safety features won’t be able to help you once your brakes fail. Look for signs of damage on the rotor. Check how much rubber is left on the brake pads of your Subaru near Rio Rancho, NM. Don’t hesitate to replace all your brakes if necessary. You also might want to change the brake fluid to ensure your brakes will engage properly.
Get new wiper blades
Wiper blades are damaged during winter because they deal with snow and ice. If your current wiper blades are already worn down, they will not last the season. Ask a Subaru dealer near Santa Fe, NM and they’ll tell you it’s best to get a new set of wiper blades before the first snowfall so that you won’t need to replace them during winter. It will be inconvenient to install new wiper blades when winter is already in full swing.
You’ve probably been winterizing your vehicle for years, so these car maintenance tips are nothing new to you. However, this should serve as a reminder that because of climate change, the weather can go berserk at any moment, and there’s no way to deal with it other than to always be prepared. Check out your Fiesta Subaru car dealer in the Albuquerque, NM area.
