Fall/Winter Preventative Maintenance.
 

Well everyone, it's that time of year again. Old man winter is soon upon us and our vehicles are still in summer mode. Just today, I noticed loose battery connections on 2 of my vehicles due to the colder climate change.

I would like everyone to post suggestions/ideas to help prep our vehicles for the fall/winter season. Everything from tires, to wipers to what you put in the trunk for safety etc.

i keep a winter box with cables, extra heavy hat and gloves, scraper. i like to put the ice melting stuff in the window wash, and the tires have to be refilled because you lose pressure from the cold

Well, I usually get winter wiper blades, windshield washer w/anti-ice capabilities. I already have jumper cables in my trunk, so, I'm good there. I'll also have my anti-freeze & battery tested before the cold really hits, and, replace if necessary. I also plan on getting my fuel system cleaned sometime soon.

I always check my tires before winter. Even on the cars I don't drive in the snow.

I always oil spray the underside of my cars before winter. To keep them as rust free as I can. I always get some wax and do all of the cars before winter. Then on the occasional nice day I'll wash and hit them with some liquid wax in a bottle.

My truck gets snow tires before winter. I have them sitting in the garage waiting to go on. I typically leave two or three sheets of 1/2" plywood in the bed of the truck. Then a couple of blocks or bricks I toss back there.

Rain X all the windows!

It's depressing me that I already need to start thinking about this crap.

Those are some good ideas guys. Keep em coming.

I hear cooking grease works pretty good on the door seals keeps the doors from freezing shut.

Winter? :D

You southerners stay out of this. trch

I have never heard of using cooking grease for that before. I typically use vassaline, or olive oil. If that is what you have around the house. It probably would work fine.

Rubber floor matts are a good investment for winter. They won't let the salt in your carpet, and your floor pans.

Snow tire installation is about to begin here, usually early October until around Christmas every vehicle that comes into our shop is getting their winter tires installed. In Quebec it's actually law that you HAVE to have snow tires on your car in the winter. Other than that, make sure the wiper blades are good, you have winter washer fluid in the tank once it's below freezing, make sure you have good heat and the heater core doesn't have to be flushed. Do a load test on the battery to make sure it can handle the cold. We have a lot of tow in's when it hits 30 or 35 below zero due to weak batteries. Spend the money for a new battery and save it on a tow call and aggravation of being late for work etc. Also check the strength of your coolant! If it's not strong enough and it freezes it'll do MAJOR damage like cracking the engine block.

i love how many people own multiple cars and have a dead battery towed. Mostly same as everyone, de icer spray in the washer bottle, good tires, scraper, at least one blanket in each car, a tow rope in each car.