"Vehicle stress and strain increases greatly during the winter months," said Steve Nolan, spokesman for the AAA-Chicago Motor Club. "And minor deficiencies can turn into major problems. So it's extremely important for motorists to take precautions before the weather gets too cold."
Here are items to inspect and service:
1 ) Your Battery
Look at the connections and make sure they're tight and corrosion-free and cables aren't loose.
Have a technician do a load test on your car battery. The pros point out that a battery loses almost a third of its starting cranking power at freezing, which is 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
2) Your Fluids
They advise you get a thorough check of your vehicle's vital fluids and filters as well as hoses, belts and tires. Some cars require lighter weight, or lower viscosity oil if in severe cold. Your owner's manual should tell you this.
Check your coolant level and if the mix of antifreeze to water is 50/50.
3) Your Visibility
Top off your window washer fluid with no-freeze fluid. Your wipers are fairly easy to change on your own, so if they don't completely clean your window in 3 wipes or are over 1 yr old get new ones. Test your heater as well.
4) Your Interior
Check your floor for cracks and holes so carbon monoxide and other fumes don't seep in. Carbon monoxide is odorless and very dangerous, so don't ignore this.
5) Your Brakes, hoses, belts
Brake fluid and clutch fluid should be topped off, as should transmission fluid (assuming your vehicle doesn't have a sealed-for-life gearbox; check your owner's manual)
Push and pull on engine belts and squeeze hoses. The rule of thumb is that belts giving more than one inch under finger pressure might need adjustment. At any sign of cracking or fraying of either, have the offender replaced.
As for hoses, look for loose connections, unusual bulges, cracks, tears and holes.
6) Your Tires
Accoriding to Bill Egan, chief engineer of advanced tire technology for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., a tire inflated at 32 lbs. Per sq. inch (psi) on a warm 70 degree day will register at an under-inflated 26 psi in freezing weather.
Egan says a tire loses 10 % of its expected tread life for every 10 % it's under inflated. Make a point to monitor your tire pressure about 2x a month in the cold months. And don't forget to check your spare.
Studded tires are good for hard-packed snow and ice but reduce traction on dry roads. Treading is critical to controlling a car at all times. Check tread depth with the "Lincoln head penny test:" Insert a penny in between the tread blocks, making sure that Pres. Lincoln's head goes in first; if the tread doesn't reach the top of his head, the car needs new tires.
7) Your Tune-up Time?
Check your manual to see if you are due soon and get it done before the busy winter season.
(spark plugs, ignition coil, fuel-injection, and other emission control equipment, brake linings or pads and general lubrication.)
Put at least one coat of wax on the exterior of your vehicle. Not only will it protect your paint in winter, it can help snow and ice slide off more easily.
Some auto experts advise spraying lubricants (WD-40 or Graphite) in all door and trunk locks to keep them from freezing.
8) Your Emergency Kit
Stock it up and keep it in your car. The AAA suggests a kit should include flashlight, flares, first-aid kit, blanket, warm clothes, gloves, hat, paper towel, snow shovel, snow brush, ice scraper, washer fluid and extra food & water. Kitty liter is helpful too - poured under tires, it can provide traction if your car gets stuck. Don't forget your cell phone if you have one!
From the 2013 version of the site. Details, prices and links may be out of date, so check them against your own campus policies.