Cold-weather car-care tips – KRTV NEWS Great Falls
2 min read
GREAT FALLS — Temperatures may be on the rise, but that doesn’t mean cold snaps dipping into the particular negatives won’t be back. For car owners, these extreme dips can be trouble for their vehicle. Luckily, there are a few suggestions owners can take to make sure they keep running smoothly.
- Make sure you’re using the proper coolant for the vehicle. A quality coolant will run effectively until the outside temperature dips to -40 F. If utilizing the wrong coolant, any chilly temps may severely damage the engine of your car.
- You don’t need to obsess over letting your car idle before driving unless it’s REALLY cold. According to ASE Certified Master Technician, Ken Coleman, the particular engine in your car should be good in order to go from the jump if the temperature is above 0 F. Once the negatives come around, it’s important to let the vehicle warm up a bit to allow the oil to thin out.
- A block heater is a key piece of equipment which allows the car motor to stay warm even while it is parked.
- Obviously, tire pressure will decrease as it gets colder. It’s important to get the tire’s pressurized while they’re STILL COLD. Tobey maguire Coleman says, “If you get the tires filled in the shop where it’s 70 degrees, the pressures going to dip four, five, six, seven points once you get outside. ” If you get your tire’s serviced while they’re cold this will allow the particular added stress to accurately acclimate itself.
- Hazard lights are much more prevalent during the winter. Just because your “Check Engine” light comes on doesn’t mean your engine is compromised. Same goes for any other component under the hood. “A waning battery can set off misfires and erroneous codes that don’t really imply anything, it just means your battery is low, ” states Coleman. In case you see one of these lights turn upon, have your own battery tested/charged. If the lights stay on, talk to the mechanic.
- Finally, it’s ever important in order to keep on top of your fluids, especially throughout the cold-season. “Clean oil gets sludgy, dirty essential oil, turns into a brick, ” says Coleman. If you wait to get a service change, the already dirty fluids will wreak havoc on the inside of the particular car when it gets cold.
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