Winter is coming. And even though there’s no snow here in California, the Folsom Auto Mall wants to make sure your vehicle is cold-weather ready!
We put on our boots for better traction our gloves and coat to protect us from the elements and we even fuel up to keep going and keep ourselves warm. Well, the same goes for your car. Just because you don’t live in Fargo, Aspen, Seattle, or Vancouver – doesn’t mean you don’t have to “winterize” your vehicle. In fact, it’s a good rule of thumb to run through this checklist every season.
That’s why we sat down with the Folsom Auto Mall’s resident Winterologists (service staff) to provide you with 10 things you should do right now to prepare your vehicle for Winter. Whether it’s a Ford, Toyota, Kia, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Buick, GMC, Hyundai, Chevrolet, or Nissan, these are the winterizing tips you need to keep rolling through the season.
1. Check your wiper blades
You’re driving to your Uncle Al’s the day after Christmas. Everything is great until it starts raining and your windshield wipers clear 37% of the driver’s side and 16% of the passenger side. It’s a great idea to replace your wiper blades before the winter each year. Or at least have them inspected when the temperature begins to drop.
2. Check your wiper fluid level
“Your wipers will not clean your windows if you do not have wiper fluid.” – everyone. When filling up on the Windex of the road during the colder months, it’s important to choose a wiper fluid with antifreeze properties. It will provide better performance and guess what else? It won’t freeze.
3. Check your battery
Before you get into your car do you check your phone battery to make sure it has enough juice? That’s a good idea! If you don’t check your car battery before winter, you may need that 100% charged phone to find yourself a ride. Cold weather can reduce battery power, so if your battery is several years old or in poor condition, it could fail. Be smart, be safe - get it tested.
4. Check your belts and hoses
Rubber tubes and belts can break or crack and lead to big problems. Whether it’s your fuel system, cooling system or steering system, hoses, tubes and belts are a necessity under the hood. In winter, they can be even more prone to cracking or leaking. Make sure a professional checks and replace parts that show signs of damage or wear.
5. Get your oil changed
Engine oil, like a man from the Midwest, thickens in frigid weather. This can hurt your engine’s performance. Many manufacturers have specific oil recommendations for colder weather. Check your vehicle’s owner’s manual to be safe. And double check if it’s time for an oil change.
6. Check your brakes
It’s more difficult to slow and stop on frosty roads and your brakes have to work harder to keep you safe. Plus, winter weather can cause your brake pads to wear more quickly. So, ignoring brake pad issues is like ignoring the oil change light on your car. You can get away with it for a bit, but sooner or later something bad is going to happen. This is why regular brake inspections and pad replacements are so important.
7. Check your car’s interior and exterior lights
Turn signals, brake lights, high beams, the dome light, door lights, your Hello Kitty night light - every light! Take the time to walk around the car, hop inside, and turn on and off every light to make sure they work. You can also clean the lenses to get maximum visibility; driving with low visibility is even more dangerous in the winter. Replacing a bulb now can save you a headache later.
8. Test the heater and defroster
You don’t want to freeze. You want to be able to see out the front window in case there’s a tree. These are very good reasons to test your heater and defroster. Making sure your air conditioning system is functioning properly is actually vital to your safety. Don’t be that person who scraped a baseball-sized hole in the ice on his windshield just to get to work on time. We all know that guy, or we knew that guy.
9. Check tires for excessive wear
Depending on where you live and drive, you probably don’t need snow tires. But in the cold months, checking your tires is very important. In cold weather, tire pressure can change. You might find, when the temperature drops, your vehicle might alert you to low tire pressure. It’s a good idea to let a professional check your tire pressure and fill them to the correct PSI. Additionally, most people don’t bother to check their tire tread and winter time is a bad time to find out your tires are bald. A quick, easy, and not at all scientifically proven method is the penny method. The theory goes that if you stick a penny in your tire treads and Abe Lincoln’s head disappears, then you have good traction. But the best way to check is to take your car to one of the service centers at a Folsom Auto Mall dealership. You don’t want to go slipping and sliding if the roads do get icy.
10. Stop by one of our exceptional service departments at the Folsom Auto Mall and get your vehicle inspected before it gets too chilly
Our factory certified technicians are ready to serve you at every Folsom Auto Mall dealership. Make an appointment and we’ll get you in and out quickly. We’ll inspect everything on this checklist and make sure your vehicle is in tip-top shape for the coming winter.
We put on our boots for better traction our gloves and coat to protect us from the elements and we even fuel up to keep going and keep ourselves warm. Well, the same goes for your car. Just because you don’t live in Fargo, Aspen, Seattle, or Vancouver – doesn’t mean you don’t have to “winterize” your vehicle. In fact, it’s a good rule of thumb to run through this checklist every season.
That’s why we sat down with the Folsom Auto Mall’s resident Winterologists (service staff) to provide you with 10 things you should do right now to prepare your vehicle for Winter. Whether it’s a Ford, Toyota, Kia, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Buick, GMC, Hyundai, Chevrolet, or Nissan, these are the winterizing tips you need to keep rolling through the season.
1. Check your wiper blades
You’re driving to your Uncle Al’s the day after Christmas. Everything is great until it starts raining and your windshield wipers clear 37% of the driver’s side and 16% of the passenger side. It’s a great idea to replace your wiper blades before the winter each year. Or at least have them inspected when the temperature begins to drop.
2. Check your wiper fluid level
“Your wipers will not clean your windows if you do not have wiper fluid.” – everyone. When filling up on the Windex of the road during the colder months, it’s important to choose a wiper fluid with antifreeze properties. It will provide better performance and guess what else? It won’t freeze.
3. Check your battery
Before you get into your car do you check your phone battery to make sure it has enough juice? That’s a good idea! If you don’t check your car battery before winter, you may need that 100% charged phone to find yourself a ride. Cold weather can reduce battery power, so if your battery is several years old or in poor condition, it could fail. Be smart, be safe - get it tested.
4. Check your belts and hoses
Rubber tubes and belts can break or crack and lead to big problems. Whether it’s your fuel system, cooling system or steering system, hoses, tubes and belts are a necessity under the hood. In winter, they can be even more prone to cracking or leaking. Make sure a professional checks and replace parts that show signs of damage or wear.
5. Get your oil changed
Engine oil, like a man from the Midwest, thickens in frigid weather. This can hurt your engine’s performance. Many manufacturers have specific oil recommendations for colder weather. Check your vehicle’s owner’s manual to be safe. And double check if it’s time for an oil change.
6. Check your brakes
It’s more difficult to slow and stop on frosty roads and your brakes have to work harder to keep you safe. Plus, winter weather can cause your brake pads to wear more quickly. So, ignoring brake pad issues is like ignoring the oil change light on your car. You can get away with it for a bit, but sooner or later something bad is going to happen. This is why regular brake inspections and pad replacements are so important.
7. Check your car’s interior and exterior lights
Turn signals, brake lights, high beams, the dome light, door lights, your Hello Kitty night light - every light! Take the time to walk around the car, hop inside, and turn on and off every light to make sure they work. You can also clean the lenses to get maximum visibility; driving with low visibility is even more dangerous in the winter. Replacing a bulb now can save you a headache later.
8. Test the heater and defroster
You don’t want to freeze. You want to be able to see out the front window in case there’s a tree. These are very good reasons to test your heater and defroster. Making sure your air conditioning system is functioning properly is actually vital to your safety. Don’t be that person who scraped a baseball-sized hole in the ice on his windshield just to get to work on time. We all know that guy, or we knew that guy.
9. Check tires for excessive wear
Depending on where you live and drive, you probably don’t need snow tires. But in the cold months, checking your tires is very important. In cold weather, tire pressure can change. You might find, when the temperature drops, your vehicle might alert you to low tire pressure. It’s a good idea to let a professional check your tire pressure and fill them to the correct PSI. Additionally, most people don’t bother to check their tire tread and winter time is a bad time to find out your tires are bald. A quick, easy, and not at all scientifically proven method is the penny method. The theory goes that if you stick a penny in your tire treads and Abe Lincoln’s head disappears, then you have good traction. But the best way to check is to take your car to one of the service centers at a Folsom Auto Mall dealership. You don’t want to go slipping and sliding if the roads do get icy.
10. Stop by one of our exceptional service departments at the Folsom Auto Mall and get your vehicle inspected before it gets too chilly
Our factory certified technicians are ready to serve you at every Folsom Auto Mall dealership. Make an appointment and we’ll get you in and out quickly. We’ll inspect everything on this checklist and make sure your vehicle is in tip-top shape for the coming winter.