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Cold Weather: Hard On People, Hard On Cars

posted on 8/30/2017 9:54:18 AM

Winter’s on its way, and while some people look forward to snowball fights and blazing fireplaces, many of us find winter to be a real pain. Winter can be really hard on vehicles as well as people. At Star City Tire in Roanoke, VA, we would like to talk about a few ways that cold weather and winter conditions put an extra burden on your car (and some things you can do to help).

Battery: You go out on a cold morning, stick the key in the ignition and hear the engine turn too slowly to start…followed by the dispiriting “click…click” of a fully discharged battery. How did that happen, when your car was starting fine just a couple of days ago? Extreme cold slows down the chemical reaction inside the battery’s cells and cuts its cranking power. At 5 degrees F, even a fully-charged conventional lead-acid battery can only deliver half its rated amp-hour cranking capacity. On top of that, cold weather causes the motor oil in your crankcase to thicken (more on that in a moment), making it more difficult for the starter and battery to turn the engine over. You can help your battery out by making sure that your car’s charging system is working properly before winter sets in and, if it isn’t a sealed-cell model, making sure that the battery’s cells are full. Remember to top off the cells with distilled water only; tap water can cause corrosion. Also, you can clean the battery’s top with baking soda and water, and make sure that the posts and battery cable clamps are free from corrosion, which shows up as fluffy white or greenish-white deposits.

Wipers: Cold weather will make the rubber on your wiper blades brittle and stiff, speeding up wear. Always make sure to clear the windshield of ice and heavy snow before operating the wipers, and remember to not splash hot water on the windshield to clear ice; hot water can easily crack a cold windshield. The wipers are driven by a linkage from the motor, which often includes plastic fittings and connectors that can shrink or harden in cold weather. The extra effort required to clear ice or snow from the windshield can put stress on the mechanism, possibly causing a part to fail and resulting in an expensive auto repair bill. Even the best windshield wipers only last for about a year; make sure yours are in good shape before the weather gets bad, and make sure your windshield washer tank is always topped off with a good de-icing washer fluid. A coat of Rain-X on your windshield can also be a huge help.

Fluids: Of course it’s important to make sure that your coolant level is correct before winter sets in…coolant is a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water and protects your engine from freeze damage as well as overheating. It’s more than just antifreeze you need to worry about, though. Cold weather causes motor oil, transmission fluid and power steering fluid to thicken. It’s important that oil, in particular, begins to flow quickly after startup. Always make sure that all your fluids are topped off in cold weather, and that you start winter with fresh motor oil.

Frame and Body: Road salt and chemicals are really, really bad for your car’s frame and body, especially the lower body panels. You can minimize the rust and corrosion damage that they cause by applying a good coat of wax on the car before winter sets in, and not allowing too much snow and slush to build up on the body and wheel wells. Also, get under the car at a car wash whenever possible and blast the undercarriage with a power sprayer.

Tire Pressure: Gases expand when hot and contract when cold…meaning that your car’s tires will lose air pressure as they get colder. Studies show that for every 10-degree drop in temperature, your tires lose one pound per square inch of pressure. Proper tire inflation is as important in the winter as it is during the rest of the year, so be sure to check tire pressure a few times over the winter.

Now, a couple of other ideas to make winter driving a little more tolerable…

Spraying your door and window seals with a light coating of cooking spray can make them more pliable in cold weather, and less apt to freeze.

WD-40 is actually a water dispersant and not a lubricant. Coating your key with WD-40 and inserting it into the car’s door lock will leave a protective film that can help you avoid a frozen lock in the winter.

Be sure to check all your lights before winter; if your headlight lenses are cloudy or degraded, consider using a headlight restoration kit.

Lubricating your door, trunk and hood hinges before winter is a good idea.

Check the nozzles of your windshield washers and unclog with a safety pin or paper clip if the flow is weak.

If you’ve been living in Roanoke, VA for very long, you know that winters here can indeed be pretty tough. At Star City Tire, we can help you get what you need to get through a Roanoke, VA winter safely, whether it’s a new set of winter tires or just preparing your car for cold weather. Give us a call and make an appointment!

Categories: Auto Repair 101 | View Count: (36) | Return

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Cold Weather: Hard On People, Hard On Cars

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