With all of the snow and ice we've been getting these past couple of weeks in Indianapolis, we thought we should share some tips and tricks to help make winter driving a little easier. Iced windshields, frozen locks, and getting stuck in mud and snow are all too common winter automotive realities.
Warm up your car
Let your car or truck run for a few minutes before driving. Revving a cold engine causes additional wear, and a warm car with cleared windows is much more safe and comfortable to get into.
Car Windows
To help loosen and melt away a solid or hard-frozen sheet of windshield ice, keep a box of fine grain salt in the car. Pour the salt over the ice and rub it in. Give it a few minutes to work, then scrape the ice away.
Stack up on windshield wiper fluid and keep a bottle in your car and buy new windshield wipers if your current ones are starting to wear. Driving in a snow storm is difficult enough without having wipers that aren't working well.
Frozen locks
Eventually, a frozen set of locks hits everyone. Small cans of lock de-icer are sold at any car service shop or at the Auto department at a Walmart or Target. Of course, your best bet is prevention, so try this: when you lock the car, cover the locks with thin magnet strips. Remove them when you return for frost-free locks, ready to go.
Car Batteries
It's a good idea to replace an older battery before it gives you cold weather trouble, but just in case, if your battery is old or questionable, remove it and take it into a warm house or garage at night when the temperature is expected to drop very low. Be careful where you leave it, batteries are filled with acid that can corrode surfaces. Battery contents are flammable; keep them away from flames and heat sources.
If your don't want to mess with removing a battery, or you're not sure your battery is that bad, park your car in a place so it can be reached with jumper cables if the car decides not to start.
Getting Stuck
It should probably go without saying, but having your vehicle checked ahead of time can prevent many winter driving problems. Take your car to your local Indianapolis car service shop to check all your fluids, wires, and plugs, including washer fluid and very importantly, the radiator's antifreeze. Check tires for traction and proper inflation. Make an emergency kit and put together extra lock deicer, washer fluid, jumper cables, cones, markers or flairs, and carry a blanket, snack foods, and water just in case you get stuck somewhere for a while.
Use these tips to help make this winter a little more manageable.
Tags:
indianapolis auto repair, indianapolis collision center, indianapolis body shop, Car Service, Car Maintenance, Tires, Windshield, Car battery, Indianapolis car service, Indianapolis tires, Indianapolis car maintenance
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