Winter Vehicle Preparation
Words and Photos By: Mark Yanochko
As we head into the winter months, many parts of the country will see a dramatic change in the weather, with cold temperatures accompanied by snow and ice. With this change comes a change in driving habits and the care required for your customers’ cars, minivans, SUVs and trucks. Preparing a vehicle for winter driving isn’t that difficult, but there are several items that need to be addressed. Proper preparation puts everyone’s mind at ease.
Let’s start with the battery and starting system. As the temperature drops, the amount of current needed to start a car increases. It is essential to have a good, fully charged battery. If there’s some doubt about the performance of the battery, a battery tester can be used to determine the cause of a defective battery. It’s also important that the battery terminals, A, be clean (Figure 1).
While you’re under the hood, check the performance of the engine coolant. Insert the hose from a hydrometer, B, into the coolant reservoir, C, as shown in Figure 2. Draw up enough coolant to fill the tube. The number of floating discs indicates the coolant protection level (protection to a lower temperature with a greater number of discs).
The last item to check under the hood is the washer fluid level. Open the cap and fill the reservoir until the fluid, D, reaches the top of the filler neck (Figure 3). That takes care of the most important items in the engine compartment. Now, let’s go inside.
It’s important that the heater and heater controls work properly. If your customer has been running the A/C all summer long with the top vents being used, be sure that all the vent doors are working. Rotate the vent door selector switch, E (Figure 4), or the appropriate control, to all positions to be sure air blows through each one.
Next, test the heater. Rotate the temperature selector switch,F, or the appropriate control, to the full hot position. Rotate the fan selector switch, G, or the appropriate control, to the highest speed (Figure 5). Turn the engine On, let it reach operating temperature (maybe take it for a ride) and be sure that hot air is blowing through all the vents. Driving without heat in the winter can be brutal. Finally, check the rear defroster (and side mirror defrosters, if equipped) to be sure it works properly.
There are a few items on the outside of the vehicle that need to be checked. First thing on this list are windshield wipers. Bad windshield wipers in the winter can make visibility a major issue. Also, don’t forget the rear wiper, H, in Figure 6, if the vehicle is so equipped.
As important as it is to see, it’s also important to be seen. Check the headlights, J, and parking lights, K, shown in Figure 7. Check the taillights, too. And with the help of an assistant, check the brake lights.
The last item to check on the outside of the vehicle is the tire tread. You need good tires to get traction to stop and go in the winter snow. Check the tires for sufficient tread depth, L, (Figure 8) on all four corners.
The last item to check for your customer on the winter prep checklist is the ABS and traction control system. Take the car on a test drive and go to an empty parking lot or similar location. Checking the antilock brakes is easy. Simply accelerate, then slam on the brakes. Finding a questionable surface to try the traction control might be difficult. Hard acceleration, though, from a dead stop should do the trick. If there’s a problem, thoroughly check the entire braking system.
