Winter might be taking a nap, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t going to come. It’s coming whether we like it or not! Winter is the toughest season you and your car can face. We can prepare your vehicle for the ice, snow and freezing temperatures.
Winter Tires
All four wheels need them regardless of whether it’s a front-wheel, rear-wheel, all-wheel, or four-wheel-drive. All-season tires are not winter tires. Winter tires reduce the number of collisions by almost 20 per cent. Enough said.
Winter or summer, your car tires are the only point of contact that your vehicle has with the road, they need to be in good condition at all times to ensure your safety. Inspect your tires regularly for wear and any damage to avoid any sudden problems. Check your tire pressure monthly and before every long trip.
Driving with incorrect tire pressure can affect your car’s handling and braking, particularly in wet conditions, and can seriously compromise your safety. Driving on severely under inflated tires can cause heat build up and eventually a premature tire failure. Read more about winter tires…
Brake
You car brake system should be in top working condition at all times. Have your brakes checked by a professional regularly? Your and others life depend on it. At winter time is more important than ever, in the case of slippery conditions like icy snow covered roads, the effectiveness of your traction control and ABS system depends on the quality of your braking system. Have it inspected and tested by a professional for ultimate safety in any weather and or road conditions. Bring your car in for ABS and brake system service.
Battery Test
If your car is five years old or older have your battery tested for strength and performance to prevent possible no start condition in foul weather. It might not necessarily need a new battery, but having it tested can save a lot of headache. To prevent breakdown and keep you on the road safely, we use Midtronincs GR8-1200 Electrical System Tester – Analyzer to check, test your battery and your automobile electrical system. Read more about battery testing…
Fluids
While the use of long-life engine coolant has increased, it still should be checked for strength and condition every fall.
Washer fluid level is an easy check and a spare bottle should be in your trunk all year long and especially in the winter.
The engine oil in your car has to go thru temperature extremes. Therefore it’s very important to have your engines lifeline the engine oil up to the highest possible standards, by performing your oil service on time, especially on today’s modern high tech engines, during winter operation thanks to fuel contamination from cold starts and water contamination from condensation. If you getting close to oil change, start off the season right with a fresh oil and filter change. While we perform your oil change we also check your brakes, tires and most fluid levels for your added safety.
Our Cooling System Service
Oil – Lube – Filter – Service
Wiper Blades
Windshield wipers consumable items. Doesn’t matter what brand name they are, they due for replacement at around 18 months of use or sooner. Most wiper blades can freeze, even dedicated winter wiper blades can get stuck to the windshield in extreme conditions.
When we inspect your car’s wiper blade, we lubricate the hinges to prevent water and ice formation at the base.
Locks & Doors
Before the Canadian deep freeze hits, we lubricate door locks, latches, and hinges and treat the door and window seals. We use silicone lubricating compound (Made in Germany). By spraying the door and window weather seals, they will be less likely to freeze you out on a cold winter morning.
Floor Mats
Never stack floor mats on top of one another or use a mat that’s too thick. The risk of jamming your accelerator pedal to the floor is real and the results can be catastrophic. Winter floor mats are great for reducing salt stains on the carpeting.
You should remove mats from time to time throughout the winter to dry them out indoors. Moisture on floor mats is the cause of hard frost appearing on the inside of windshields and door glasses.
Full Tank of Gas
Drive with full tank of gas at winter is a good idea. Never know when you stuck in the snow, so you can keep your car and yourself warm if you have enough gas in your gas tank.
Some people put something heavy, like a 50 kg concrete block in their car’s trunk to get better traction, but if you get in a collision, consider the damage a 50 kg piece of concrete will do. The best weight to carry to improve traction is fuel in the gas tank. This brings the mass lower to the ground for improved stability and reduces the effect of winter water contamination in the tank.
But if you still want to put something heavy in your car trunk put there a bag of Kitty litter? Yes, kitty litter!
It can help provide better traction for rear wheel drive vehicles, because of the weight, and if you get stuck in the snow a little bit of kitty litter sprinkled under the tires can help you get traction and out of the snow.
We wish you happy winter driving!
Don’t hesitate to contact us. Our phone number is: 905.795.0419
Related:
Winter Service
Drive on worn all-season tire at winter time is suicide.
Broken suspension assembly from the same car as above.
Yokohama Winter Tires from Techmax.ca
