Tags: Winter car check, Car Service, Car Check, Northampton, Winter.

← Back to NewsPosted on: 20/10/2014

Don't Forget your Winter Car Check

With the bad weather dominating the news at the moment, it is worth giving your car the once over, just to check it is road worthy and safe in the wind and rain. Although Northamptonshire has not been hit by flooding this time round, there is always the threat of snow in the winter, so it is always advised you pay special attention to your vehicle and make sure it is ready to face the tough weather.

One of the first things on your winter car list should be the tyres. Make sure you have plenty of tread on each one, so they can cope with wet or icy conditions. Although the law requires you to have a minimum of 1.6mm tread depth on your tyres, the AA recommends tread you have at least 3mm on each tyre in winter. During these winter months it is advisable that you try and check the tyre pressures on a weekly basis.

It is worth having your car battery and charging system looked over, making sure they are performing as best as they should be. The cold weather can be hard on car batteries and the last thing you want is for it to fail when you are stuck in the middle of nowhere. It is also a good idea to have your brakes looked at too. The braking system on your vehicle is the most important safety aspect of your car, so never take them for granted.

As a general rule you should try and clean, flush and put new antifreeze into your car’s cooling system every two years. Antifreeze serves several different purposes. It is extremely important for keeping your engine operating correctly. Not only does it prevent everything from freezing up, but it also helps the engine stabilise at high temperatures and prevents corrosion.

Before you go anywhere, make sure your heaters, defrosters and wipers are working properly and that your washer fluid is topped up. You should also check to make sure all your exterior lights are working and coming on when they should be.

Always keep your fuel tank at least half full at all times, particularly on long car journeys, as you never know when the next service station might be. Keep an emergency break down kit in the boot of the car, which should consist of an ice scraper, torch, blankets, bottled water, dry food snacks, jump leads, phone charger and wellies and make sure wherever you go, that your phone is charged up.