How to prepare the car for winter? What should we do to avoid unpleasant surprises?

For most drivers, changing their tires is the first thing that comes to mind  when it comes to preparing their car for winter. This, of course, is an important element, but certainly not the only one. What else do we need to remember?

Good visibility is essential

Driving conditions in the fall and winter can be difficult. The reasons are temporary icing, snow on the roads and limited visibility associated with a shorter day, frequent and difficult to drive rainfall and fog. Efficient lighting and the windscreen cleaning system are important for driving safety.

Before winter, let’s get  a good quality winter screenwash. Choose a low temperature resistant product that effectively removes dirt and traffic film from the glass. High-quality winter screenwashes contain ingredients that slow down evaporation of alcohol reducing the so-called “cold glass effect”. Thanks to them the remnants of the liquid that is not collected by the wipers do not freeze on the glass even at very low temperatures. Additionally, they are safe for paintwork, chrome and rubber parts of the vehicle. If we still have summer screenwash in the tank, to avoid freezing it or damaging the pipes and nozzles, add winter screenwash concentrate to it.

In order to maintain safety and improve driving comfort, we must pay particular attention to the cleanliness and transparency of the windscreen. Increased humidity, wet clothes, etc. may cause fogging of the windows. It is good to prevent this by spraying the inside glassес with anti-fog and wiping them with a cloth. It is also worth having easy-to-use and store glass wipes on hand. If our car is parked outside, we need to buy a window de-icer, which will significantly speed up the removal of ice from the vehicle windows, and also allow you to safely release the wiper blades frozen to the windshield.

Winter driving safety – efficient engine and brakes

Before the autumn – season, it is worth the car to pass a technical inspection. The thing to start with is to check that the brake fluid and antifreeze levels are correct. To avoid problems, choose high-quality fluids from reputable manufacturers. We must also remember to change them regularly.

Antifreezes are responsible for the proper functioning of the cooling system – if you are wondering whether it is time to change and how to do it, read the short article on how to choose the right antifreeze and what to consider.

Brake fluid is responsible for safe braking. It is exposed to the loss of its basic properties over time, mainly due to its sensitivity to the absorption of water from the environment. For more information, see the article: Brake fluid control and replacement – safe braking condition.

In order to avoid problems with starting and efficient operation of the engine at low temperatures, we must also take care of the protection of the fuel and injection systems by supplying effective fuel additives. If we want to prevent paraffin formation in the autumn – winter season at low temperatures, we need depresser. The formation of paraffin in extreme conditions can even block the fuel filter.

Thanks to fuel additives, we can increase engine protection, reducing the wear of its components and eliminating harmful pollutants. So it’s good to know what additives are worth using and when it should be done.

Do not be surprised by winter – special winter products (frost products)

Although winters have been milder in recent years, the changing weather can still surprise drivers. As already mentioned, it is worth buying a window de-icer before winter. In addition, to prevent  the doors, windows and boot lid seals from freezing, apply a rubber protection stick. It increases the elasticity of rubber elements and protects against freezing, cracking and aging. We can protect the lock from freezing using a special lock spray, in the form of oil.

The above-mentioned preventive actions will certainly allow you to avoid stressful situations on a frosty morning.