Winter Car Care: What to Do Before It Gets Cold

6 tips

• Get the battery tested before winter. Cold cuts a battery's power by up to half, and a weak battery that starts fine at 70 degrees can fail at 20 degrees.
• Switch to winter tires if you get snow, or at least check tread depth. All-season tires lose grip below about 45 degrees, and winter tires are made for it.
• Keep the gas tank at least half full. A full tank leaves less room for condensation, and it gives you a safety margin if you get stuck.
• Use winter washer fluid rated for freezing temperatures, and lift the wipers off the windshield when ice is coming so they do not freeze to the glass.
• Check the antifreeze strength. A 50/50 mix of coolant and water protects down to about minus 34 degrees; a shop can test it in a minute.
• Keep a small winter kit in the trunk: a blanket, a flashlight, a phone charger, and a bag of sand or kitty litter for traction if you get stuck.

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