The automotive queen gives you quick tips to save you and your car from the cold

By Blogger Mary Kate Williams

Temperatures are dropping, and the inevitable winter setting in. Now is time to start preparing your car for the most dreadful of seasons. Here are some quick tips that just might save you from the snow!

1) Always keep your tires’ PSI (pressure per square inch) to the correct standard. Your tires will shrink during the cold seasons because they contract due to the freezing temperature, and they will lose pressure in turn. It is important to keep your pressure up to survive those icy roads. You can check your tires’ PSI with a tire gauge that you can buy just about anywhere. For most cars, the correct PSI is 32. Check your owner’s manual to make sure.

2) Change your windshield-wiper blades. It’s important to know that you can see when the snow is falling. I recommend one-pressure-point blades rather than the three-pressure-point ones. They provide a better overall surface wipe. Also, make sure to have to negative 30 degree windshield wiper fluid in your car so it won’t freeze even in the coldest of temperatures.

3) Get your antifreeze mixture just right. Antifreeze prevents the radiator from freezing and keeps the engine running smoothly. You should have a 50/50 mixture of water and antifreeze inside your radiator. Water is important because antifreeze contains chemicals in it must react with water in order to work.

4) Check your battery. Make sure your battery’s posts and connections are rust free. You’ll know if it’s rust free if your battery connections are clean and not red in color around where you would connect a charge.  If your battery is more than three years old, get it checked by a licensed mechanic who will test if the battery can hold a charge. It’ll be worth it- you do not want to end up on the side of a road asking for a jump.

5) Lastly, be sure you to pack survival items, such as food. Other essentials include: a bottle of water, ice scraper, first aid kit, warm blanket, and some sand or non-clumping kitty litter to help absorb snow so you can get better traction if you are ever stuck.

Keep all these tips handy in your great endeavors against the wild, Illinois freeze we call winter. Stay smart and carry on, young drivers!