Is Your Car Adequately Protected For Winter?

You might think that if you service your car annually, there’s no need to do anything special when winter arrives. However, UK roads can become particularly hazardous with snow and icy conditions. Additionally, the grit and salt used to clear roads can cause damage to your car. So, is your car adequately protected for winter, and what steps can you take to ensure safe driving?

In this guide, you’ll learn how to prepare your car for winter driving, perform basic maintenance for extra protection, and keep essential items on hand in case you get stuck in hazardous conditions.

Keep Your Car Clean

Keeping the exterior of your car clean during winter can be extremely challenging but there is one particular reason why this is important – road salt. Road salt has been used in the UK for decades, helping to provide extra grip on icy roads and prevent accidents. However, it can be highly damaging to vehicles.

By nature, salt deposits retain moisture, which accelerates metal corrosion. Driving on salted roads leads to a mix of spray, debris, and salt that can coat your vehicle, especially underneath, where it’s most vulnerable. Allowing salt to build up on your car’s exterior, particularly on the undercarriage, can speed up the corrosion process due to the moisture it attracts. Therefore, even in winter, it’s important to keep your car as clean as possible, ensuring that every nook and cranny is free from road salt.

Check Your Coolant Levels

As temperatures drop, your car’s engine is more susceptible to freezing, especially if coolant levels are low or the antifreeze mix isn’t sufficient. Before winter sets in, make it a habit to check that your coolant is topped up and has the correct antifreeze-to-water ratio recommended by your car manufacturer. This mixture is essential for preventing the engine from freezing and helps regulate temperature during colder months.

If you’re unsure about checking coolant levels or adjusting the mixture yourself, most garages can assist. Proper coolant maintenance is an easy way to keep your engine running smoothly through winter and avoid costly repairs.

Check Your Tyres

We’re all advised to check our tyres regularly, but how many of us actually do? Often, tyre checks only happen when the MOT is due or during a service. But what about the time in between? Are you one of the few who consistently checks tyre tread and pressure, or do you let “borderline” tyres go unchecked until they become a real risk?

In winter, tyres typically endure harsher conditions, making frequent checks essential. Imagine being in a road traffic accident on a slippery road, only to discover one of your tyres was illegal. The risk to life (not to mention the potential legal and financial consequences) is not worth ignoring. Therefore, make it a priority to maintain adequate tread depth, regularly check tyre pressures, and consider winter tyres if conditions become severe.

Keep Your Fuel Tank Topped Up

In winter, it’s a good idea to keep your fuel tank at least half full. Cold weather can cause delays, and if you’re caught in traffic or stranded, having enough fuel allows you to keep the engine running to stay warm. Running the car with a low fuel level can also cause condensation to build up in the tank, which may lead to engine issues over time.

Keeping your tank topped up not only helps you stay prepared for unexpected delays but also protects your vehicle’s fuel system during the colder months.

Maintaining Your Battery Charge

A dead battery will bring your vehicle to a complete standstill, which can have serious implications if it happens in the middle of winter, especially in a remote area.

As winter approaches, experts recommend regularly checking your battery to ensure the connection points are free of corrosion and that it’s providing full power. While many of us may not have considered this, the winter climate can be brutal to your car battery and potentially drain the last drop of power from a weak battery.

One popular solution among motorists is a portable battery charger, available at a modest cost. Imagine being stranded in freezing conditions, only to find that your battery has died. Portable chargers are designed to provide just enough power to start your vehicle, allowing the car’s recharging system to take over. Consider investing in a portable battery charger and keeping it in your boot. It could be a practical and potentially life-saving item to have on hand, and it might just make an excellent Christmas gift for any driver!

If you don’t like the idea of a portable battery charger, you could purchase a set of jump leads. Should the worst happen, somebody else could help you get your car started again so that you can get to a garage rather than be stranded.

Ensuring Proper Visibility And Lighting

Winter driving can make it tough to see the road and other cars, especially with shorter days and less sunlight. To keep your vehicle safe and improve visibility, it’s worth taking a few quick steps before setting off.

Start by checking that all your lights are working – headlights, sidelights, indicators, and fog lights. It only takes a minute, and if you’re not comfortable changing bulbs yourself, most garages can help with that. Also, make sure your lights are clean, as road salt, grime, and dirt can build up fast and make it harder for others to see you.

Keep A Clear Head With A Clear Windscreen

As the morning frosts become harsher, it takes longer to warm your vehicle and clear your windscreen. Many of us have been tempted to cut corners, starting our drive before the windscreen is fully cleared, despite knowing this is dangerous. If you’re driving early and find frost on your windscreen, give yourself a few extra minutes to ensure it’s thoroughly cleared. A scraper is a quick way to remove the thickest frost, followed by your in-car heater to finish the job.

While windscreen technology has improved over the years, it’s still risky to use extremely hot water on a frosted windscreen. Although the damage may not be immediate, over time, it can weaken the glass, increasing the risk of cracking. If you need to use water, stick to lukewarm water to help remove the frost, then rely on the in-car heater and a scraper for the final touches.

To maintain visibility, check the condition of your wiper blades as well. Winter weather can quickly wear them down, and old or worn blades may struggle to keep your windscreen clear in snowy or rainy conditions. Additionally, add antifreeze to your windscreen wash reservoir to help keep your windscreen clean and improve visibility.

Remember, if you were involved in an accident and it was found that your windscreen wasn’t clear, the consequences could be serious.

Emergency Winter Kit For Your Car

National Highways, the company responsible for many of the roads in England, advises that you should carry a winter kit in your car to help in the event of an emergency. Where possible the following should be kept in the car especially if adverse or severe winter weather is forecast:

Some of these items will help if you break down in wintery conditions or you become stranded. You may also wish to consider taking out breakdown cover so that your car can be fixed or rescued from the side of the road to help ensure that you’re not stranded for too long.

Conclusion

Many of us assume that modern cars are built to handle all weather conditions. While this is largely true, extreme winter temperatures can significantly impact your battery, tyres, and windscreen, and road salt can accelerate metal corrosion. Fortunately, as outlined above, there are simple steps you can take to better protect your vehicle during the colder months. These precautions could make all the difference between a safe journey and an unexpected accident.