With the cold weather upon us, some careful thought and planning will help make winter motoring less stressful. So we asked our tame motor technician to give us some tips : )

Some say he takes his coffee with diesel and 2 sugars; and that he spreads Swarfega on his toast for breakfast. All we know is… he’s called The GreaseMonkey.

Battery
It takes a lot more out of your battery to start a cold engine and if you are just making short journeys, this power may not always be replaced. It’s a good idea to make sure that your battery is in good condition before the really cold weather sets in.

Your engine
Your engine has water that circulates around it to keep it from getting too hot. This water should also have anti-freeze in it to prevent it from freezing. Over time, the efficiency of the anti-freeze decreases and it needs to be replaced, usually every couple of years.

Tyres
Wet and icy roads are bad enough when you have good tyres, but older tyres that are a bit worn make it that bit more difficult to keep going and, more importantly, stop. Check that your tyres have plenty of tread and no signs of damage or bulges on the sidewall.

Your Brakes
Talking of stopping… your brakes should always be kept in good condition but now is a good time to have them checked. If your ABS warning light is on now is the time to get that checked too. Advanced braking systems (ABS) are designed to help you stop more efficiently which can be even more important when road conditions are wet or icy.

A lot of ‘fast-fit’ tyre and exhaust centres and local garages offer free winter checks that cover the above – take advantage of one of these offers – even if you get someone else to carry out any necessary work.

Some other useful tips are…

If your car has a diesel engine, you may already be aware that water collects in the fuel tank. For this reason, diesels have a fuel filter fitted (normally in the engine bay – check your handbook) to trap water and prevent it from entering the engine. Water that collects in the fuel filter can freeze in low temperatures, so it is a good idea to drain it off. This is a simple operation and your car’s handbook or workshop manual should tell you how to do it.

Whether you have a diesel or petrol engine, always make sure that you have at least a quarter of a tank of fuel. That way, if it’s difficult to get to the filling station, or there are fuel supply problems, you’ll always have some to keep you going. Also, extremely low temperatures can cause fuel to freeze but this is thankfully a rare occurrence in the UK.

Keep your screen washer bottle topped up. Remember that increased spray and dirt from the roads mean you will use it more often during the winter months. Get into the habit of topping it up it every few days, even if you haven’t used much. (running out of screen wash at 70 mph in the fast lane of a busy motorway is a very scary - and potentially deadly - experience!)

Buy some cheap rubber car mats. They will save your good car mats getting ruined from the water and salt from your shoes. They are also very handy if you get stuck in snow…

If you do happen to get stuck in snow – think before you act or you may end up in a worse situation. Clear as much snow as you can from in front of your wheels and gently try to drive out. If the wheels are just spinning – then stop. All you will do is turn the snow to ice and make it even harder to get out.

It can be very useful to start a rocking motion by pressing the accelerator and then releasing it quickly so you rock back. By doing this a few times you will build up momentum and may get yourself free. If that doesn’t work, then put the cheap rubber mats (you DID buy some, didn’t you?) in front of the wheels as close to the tyres as possible, and try again. They should give you enough traction to move off.

Don’t leave home without it…

Finally, try to avoid taking your car if the weather is really bad, but if you absolutely must make that journey, there are a few items that will help you cope if you get stuck in snow. Remember to keep them inside the car and not in the boot…

• Mobile phone and in-car charger
• Breakdown company phone number and membership details
• Warm blanket
• A flask with a hot drink or soup
• Some chocolate bars or other sugary snacks to keep you going

Happy Motoring !

Popularity: 17%

One Response to “Winter Motoring Tips”

1. 1
   On December 26th, 2007 at 7:46 am BingoFriendsForever said :
   

   Thanks for sharing these helpful tips.