{"id":251249,"date":"2022-08-20T14:35:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-20T11:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/auto.inform.com.de\/?p=251249"},"modified":"2022-04-12T12:22:13","modified_gmt":"2022-04-12T09:22:13","slug":"how-to-prepare-your-car-for-winter-sharing-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/auto.inform.com.de\/en\/how-to-prepare-your-car-for-winter-sharing-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"How to prepare your car for winter. Sharing tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Besides the obvious tire change, there are a few important checks to make.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"How<\/a><\/p>\n

Winter trips are an additional test for the car and the driver. Daylight hours are getting shorter, visibility and traction are getting worse. Snowdrifts, reagents and frequent temperature changes have a bad effect on the condition of the machine. Therefore, the car must be prepared for frost.<\/p>\n

1 Body: where it is “thin”, there we protect<\/h3>\n

Minor body defects look harmless in the dry season. At high humidity and under the influence of reagents in the cold season, each chip is a potential source of corrosion. Therefore, it is better to remove them in the service, or at least independently “heal” them for the winter with a marker or paint from a probe. And in the spring already go to the service for a full repair.<\/p>\n

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During the winter, you can stick a transparent protective film on the most vulnerable parts of the body. It will protect against new damage from ice chips or sand, which is often sprinkled on roads in winter.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Inspect the bottom, wheel arches, sills – they suffer noticeably more than the rest of the body from flying stones and reagents. Perhaps it is worth updating the anti-gravel coating on them before winter.<\/p>\n

2 Glasses: repair chips, clean from the inside<\/h3>\n

Any chip on the windshield runs the risk of turning into a crack in winter. This can happen due to temperature differences. Outside, cold air acts on the glass, in the cabin – warm air blows from the heater. Water caught in a chip, freezing overnight, can do the trick.<\/p>\n

Small chips on the windshield will be repaired in a specialized service. But with cracks, the matter is serious – it is better to replace the glass. With a crack on the driver's side, it is not allowed to operate the car at all, in addition, it cannot pass inspection.<\/p>\n

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Any crack quickly spoils the wiper blades, and they begin to additionally scratch the glass.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But even without that, it is better to replace the brushes before winter – in the cold season, you have to use the “wipers” for a long time and noticeably more often than in summer, and they quickly become unusable.<\/p>\n

Before the cold season, the glass must be cleaned from the inside – remove a thin layer of dirt with the help of special cleaners. It accumulates over the summer and can not only reduce visibility, but also contribute to fogging.<\/p>\n

3 Electrical: damaged wires – for replacement<\/h3>\n

Pay attention to the wiring. If you notice damage and cracks, contact the service and replace the damaged wires.<\/p>\n

If snow, ice or water gets on them, they can cause sudden short circuits and unpredictable equipment failures. A striking symptom of wire failures is frequently blown fuses.<\/p>\n

Another weak point in winter is the battery. If it is old and does not hold a charge well, it is better to replace it. Otherwise, with frequent temperature changes, a battery with a low resource will be discharged every night. And the car won't start in the morning.<\/p>\n

Diagnose the battery by measuring the density of the electrolyte with a hydrometer. Normal, if the sulfuric acid readings are about 1.25 g \/ cm3 Also check the voltage in the battery with a voltmeter with the engine turned off: there is nothing to worry about if the device shows 12 V.<\/p>\n

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When a new battery “sits down” every now and then, it's most likely the alternator.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It can have both mechanical damage, such as bearing wear, and electrical problems, such as broken brushes or a broken winding. A failed alternator does not recharge the battery while driving. And you ride as if on a disposable battery: without recharge, the battery can be discharged at any time during the day.<\/p>\n

4 Headlights and “stove”: testing to work properly<\/h3>\n

Replace burnt out bulbs in headlights, lanterns and turn signals. If the headlights are not new, they may have been covered with a net of scratches over the years of use. In this case, it is better to polish them – after the procedure they will shine better. Be sure to check the adjustment of the light beam. Then you will be sure that you will not blind anyone at night.<\/p>\n

Be sure to test how the “stove” works before the cold weather. Warm air should flow smoothly, without interruption. If it is hot, but blowing weakly, it is a fan or a clogged cabin filter. A smooth, strong, but not too warm flow indicates a breakdown in the control mechanisms of the unit.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/a><\/p>\n

5 Engine and chassis<\/h3>\n

With long mileage, engine oil needs to be changed frequently. At the replacement before the winter season, you can fill in a product with a better fluidity at low temperatures – for example, 0W40 instead of 5W40. However, this is allowed if the automaker recommends using oils with this viscosity index. You can check this in the owner's manual for your car.<\/p>\n

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Any problems with the brakes, steering and suspension on a slippery road are more likely than in summer to lead to a loss of control over the car.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

That is why on the eve of winter it is worth checking the level of brake fluid and the condition of the brake mechanisms. Adjust the steering play and replace the shock absorbers if they are leaking. Check and, if necessary, replace the stabilizer bushings and silent blocks. Finally, adjust the camber and toe.<\/p>\n

6 Interior and trunk<\/h3>\n

Treat all rubber seals in the cabin and trunk with silicone grease, which displaces water. Repeat this procedure in the winter after each wash. Then the doors and trunk lid will not freeze. Blow out the locks and lubricate the door hinges.<\/p>\n

Rubber mats in the cabin for the winter can be replaced with fabric ones with pile. In any case, do not forget to wash and shake them more often: the less water in the cabin, the less glass will fog up during the trip.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Besides the obvious tire change, there are a few important checks to make. Winter trips are an additional test for the car and the driver. Daylight hours are getting shorter, visibility and traction are getting worse. Snowdrifts, reagents and frequent temperature changes have a bad effect on the condition of the machine. Therefore, the car […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":192920,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[895,895],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-251249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sezonne-obsluhovuvannia-ta-zberihannia-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/auto.inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251249","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/auto.inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/auto.inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/auto.inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/auto.inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=251249"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/auto.inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251249\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/auto.inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/192920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/auto.inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=251249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/auto.inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=251249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/auto.inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=251249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}