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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Winterize Your Vehicle

The last thing that any of us need at this time of the year is a vehicle that breaks down in cold, harsh winter weather. The most important thing that you should be doing at this time is winterizing your vehicle, so you don’t end up out in the cold and with the unexpected expense of emergency repairs.

Nothing brings on stress more than the thought of emergency repairs like engine not starting or otherwise being stranded, and those things happening in freezing winter weather can be even more stressful not to mention costly. Being prepared, getting your vehicle checked and winterized can give you peace of mind and help avoid the cost and hassle of a breakdown during the harsh winter months.

A few tips for winterizing your vehicle:

• Make sure car heaters, defrosters and wipers work appropriately. Consider winter wiper blades and use cold weather washer fluid.
• Get your battery and charging system checked for top performance. Cold weather can be hard on batteries.
• Don’t forget to check your tire tread depth and tire pressure. If snow and ice are a problem where you live, think about winter tires, they are designed to grip slick roads. During the winter months, tire pressure should be checked weekly.
• If it’s time for your vehicle’s tune-up, get it done before winter really settles in. Winter magnifies existing problems such as pings, hard starts, sluggish performance or rough idling.
• Have the brakes checked. The braking system is the vehicle’s most important safety item.

Another quick tip, keep your gas tank at least half full at all times to decrease the chances of moisture forming in the gas lines and possibly freezing. Remember to check the tire pressure of the spare in your trunk and stock an emergency kit with an ice scraper and snowbrush, jumper cables, flashlight, flares, blanket, extra clothes, candles/matches, bottled water, dry food snacks and needed medication.

Take good care of your car so that it can take care of you. If you have problems car engine, visit Metric Wrench Billings today to have a certified technician check it out for you. Visit Metric Wrench Billings today for all of your vehicle solutions today!