What Does a Car’s Winter Service Entail?

Winter service means preparing your car for the harsh weather and icy roads of winter. Unprotected cars can suffer all sorts of internal and external damage from freezing cold temperatures and salty slush from freshly gritted roads. Patches of road ice also pose a threat, putting you at risk of sudden skids. Let’s take a look at the best ways to prepare your car for winter weather, all of which you can have done at your local Kia dealer.

Put Antifreeze in Your Cooling System

If you use ordinary coolant in sub-zero temperatures, the coolant can freeze, seizing up the system and cracking lines as it expands. So, before winter comes on, it’s important to have your coolant replaced with antifreeze, which should be a mix of between 50/50 and 70/30 antifreeze to water. It’s best to ask a technician which antifreeze they recommend for your car, as every vehicle differs.

Upgrade Your Battery for Winter Weather

Car batteries are strongly affected by the cold. As the temperature falls, your battery’s power diminishes. This means you might need to install a more powerful battery for the winter months.

Usually, car batteries are between 300 and 600 CCA in power. But for winter, ask your technician to install a battery with 600 to 800 CCA of power. This will help ensure you don’t have any chilly mornings when the car refuses to start because your battery died from the cold.

Switch to Winter Tires 

Winter tires are made from a special water-swelling hydrophilic rubber, which is softer and more pliable. This allows your tires to grip slippery road surfaces better.

These kinds of tires also have treads with wider voids and sharper edges designed to scoop down into packed snow. And if need be, sipes and studs can add even more traction to winter tires.

Protect Your Bodywork With Wax

The salt in gritted snow can really harm a car’s bodywork and exposed metal parts, causing rapid corrosion and rust. This is why it’s so important to frequently clean snow from your car during winter.

You can further protect the bodywork with a protective layer of special winter wax. This protects it from corrosive elements, scratches, and even from hail.

Winterize Your Windshield Wipers

If you’re planning on driving a lot during winter, you can expect your windshield wipers to be busy with all that snow and moisture. You’ll need to keep your wipers from collecting ice and losing their function. You can do this by installing winter wipers made from special ice-resistant rubber.

For your wiper fluid, choose a modern fluid designed to withstand cold temperatures without freezing. You can ask your technician for advice on the best fluid to use. And always keep your washer fluid topped up throughout winter. You never know when you might need your wipers to help you through a snowstorm.

Have Your Local Kia Dealer Winterize Your Car

It can be tricky to know exactly which antifreeze, wiper fluid, wax, and tires to use this winter. Someone at your local dealership will be happy to prepare it all for you.

Have your vehicle thoroughly winterized today at DARCARS Kia of Lanham. Our experienced, friendly technicians will help you and your car stay safe this winter.

Tags: Put Antifreeze in Your Cooling System, Switch to Winter Tires, Upgrade Your Battery for Winter Weather
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