Your check engine light may come on for a variety of reasons, but it’s never a good idea to ignore it.
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Ha, sorry, couldn’t resist. But yes, winter will soon be upon us so it’s better to be ready because in Colorado, you never know when it will start.
Batteries and fluids in winter
Recommending winterizing tips is nothing new, and everyone basically says the same thing. Take battery health, for example: Yes, freezing temperatures affect batteries in a bad way — this is what we call Science Working Against You. Bound to happen. But, batteries can also misbehave badly in super-warm temperatures. What we do know is that in our Colorado climate, batteries should be replaced every four to five years anyways. They simply wear out and stop working as well after many years. And the older they get, the more likely they are to die on a cold, cold morning.
Let’s move on to fluids, your coolant being the most important player here. Have it tested. It’s important for coolant to be good to at least -25 degrees. But again, these things (like batteries) fall under basic maintenance, or Service Tables, if you will, and coolant should be drained and filled every other year. No matter what. It’s just gets dirty and no one wants that.
Service Tables — the times for when you should perform certain maintenance on your car, such as at 60,000 miles — are important for a number of reasons. If adhered to, your vehicle will perform as it’s supposed to whether it’s 100 degrees or 20 degrees. Check your owner’s manual or the web to see when your car’s manufacturer suggests you get basic maintenance done. You’ll thank me, I promise.
Staying on the road
Image by Pexels from Pixabay
And yes, snow, or at least all-season tires, are a great thing to have during the frosty months of winter. It doesn’t matter how well your car runs if you can’t keep it on the road, eh? And if you plan on taking a trip to or through the mountains, they’re now required in Colorado.
Speaking of keeping your car on the road, most modern cars have CV axles, both front and rear — but especially front. CV axles have rubber boots on either end, and after a number of miles, they begin to deteriorate. When this happens, the boot opens up and exposes the goods inside, and when snow, water, and other muck invades, bad things begin to happen. So have them checked out.
Winter preparation
Being prepared for winter, like everyone else says, includes keeping things like blankets, Cliff bars, etc. in your car goes without saying. However, your car doesn’t care if it has Cliff bars in its glove box, but it does care and will say so if your coolant is six years old and has turned into mud.
So please give us a call (720-331-2776 or 720-502-4183) to schedule an oil change or tune-up, and at that time, we will give your car The General Eyeball, and note how ALL the fluids are doing, as well as the rest of your baby’s various components and systems. That’s what we do.
Thank you for listening, and as always, Happy Motoring!
