How to prepare your car for winter

How to prepare your car for winter: here is the checklist prepared by Team ACDOCTOR

Winter car checklist.

As soon as the cold weather arrives, you instinctively swap your wardrobe for warm coats, scarves and hats. Preparing your car for winter weather should look no different. Now is the time to think about preparing your car for winter:

1. fit your car with winter tyres

2) Check the condition of your winter tyres

3) Check the level of all operating fluids

4) Check the battery

5) Check the car lights

6) Check wiper blades

7) Check condition of air conditioning

7. prepare your winter car kit

1. equip your car with winter tyres

Winter tyres are one of the first things that come to mind when preparing your car for winter - and for good reason. They provide comfort and safety when driving in the colder months of the year. In most parts of Europe, winter tyres are even compulsory at certain times or in certain weather conditions. Poland is one of the countries where the legal obligation to drive on winter tyres does not exist. Fortunately, the majority of Poles choose to change their tyres.

A common practice is to fit winter tyres around October. When the thermometer drops, the rubber on summer tyres hardens and their grip decreases. However, it is accepted that the primary determinant of when you should change to winter tyres is the average temperature. When this starts to get below 7°C, it is time to go to the tyre specialist. With winter tyres, you are prepared for difficult winter conditions such as freezing temperatures and icy roads.

2 Check the condition of your winter tyres

When fitting winter tyres, make sure they are in good condition - including the spare tyres! To do this, check the tyre tread, make sure the tyre pressure is correct and look for unusual bulges, wear or general damage. If you notice anything, tell your vulcaniser.

3. top up your car's fluids

When checking the fluids in your vehicle, park the vehicle on a level surface and make sure the engine is cold. Then check the following fluids:

- engine oil,

- winter windscreen washer fluid, the windscreen is more likely to get dirty in winter,

- winter radiator fluid

4 Check the battery

If your car takes longer than usual to start up or if the lights are dim, this could mean it's time to replace the battery. If you don't check it, the winter weather could be your undoing. Ideally visit your mechanic who can advise if you need a new battery or a repair.

5 Check your car's lighting

Driving in winter means encountering rain, rain with snow and sleet during long periods of darkness. Therefore, you will quite often depend on the lighting. Before winter arrives, make sure your headlights, fog lights, turn signals, reversing lights and brake lights are working. If you know they are in good condition, clean them with window cleaner or, for particularly stubborn stains, wipe them with a little toothpaste, leave them on for a few minutes and wipe them off.

6 Check the wiper blades

There is nothing worse than the squeaky sound of old or broken wiper blades during heavy rain. When the wipers no longer clean the windscreen effectively, replace them. Replacing windscreen wipers is easy, as long as you buy the right blades. If in doubt, ask a garage employee or speak to your local car dealer.

7 Check the efficiency of your air conditioning

This is no joke. A functioning air conditioner also comes in handy during the winter. In winter, we often have the problem of foggy windows. The quickest way to deal with this problem is to switch on the air conditioning. Cold air is dry air. If your air conditioner needs to be topped up, reach for one of our do-it-yourself air conditioning kits.

8 Prepare a car emergency kit for the winter, following the precautionary principle.

- Ice scraper

- Spare tyre - check air pressure at least once a month

- torch

- tow rope

- starter cables

- shovel

- road salt

- mobile phone charger

- warning triangle

- Reflective waistcoat (required in some countries)

- first aid kit

- energy bars

- water

- warm winter clothing, including socks, gloves, scarf and hat

- mackintosh or poncho fleece blanket warm, waterproof boots

Have a wide and safe journey!

Photo: Photo 131431308 © Candy1812 Dreamstime.com