Advise on Winter Motoring

The cold-weather driving season is upon us and if you have not kept up with the maintenance recommend- ations in your owner’s manual, you could be in for some needless worries and delays. AAA offers the following tips on winter motoring.

Charge! - Cold weather is tough on batteries. At zero degrees, a car’s battery loses about 60 percent of its strength. At a comparatively mild 32 degrees, a battery is 35 percent weaker. Keeping battery terminals clean helps, but a load test performed by a qualified technician will help determine whether a car’s battery is strong enough for winter starts.

Ignition – Damaged ignition wires, a cracked distributor cap, or worn spark plugs can make starting difficult or may cause a sudden breakdown.

Lights – Check the headlights, side-marker lights, emergency flashers, parking lights, directional signals (front and rear), taillights and brake lights for proper operation.

Get a Grip - Make sure your car is equipped with tires that are able to handle your region’s winter weather. For most motorists, all-season tires are adequate. In more northern or mountainous regions, switching to snow tires may be needed. In addition, to avoid skids on slippery surfaces, you need to prevent the wheel from locking when brakes are suddenly applied. Brakes should be checked and if needed, properly adjusted to ensure equal braking.

See and Be Seen - Danger must be seen to be avoided. Driving with a snow-covered windshield, windows, side-view mirrors or lights invites a crash. Clear windows, mirrors and lights with an ice scrapper, brush and spray de-icer. Make certain windshield wipers and defrosters are in good working order and that washer reservoirs are filled with no-freeze windshield washer fluid.

Slippery When Wet - In temperatures at or just above 32 degrees, a thin layer of water can cover the ice, causing extremely slippery conditions. The distance needed to stop on ice at 32 degrees is twice as long as at zero degrees.

Keep Your Engine Cool - Make certain cooling systems antifreeze is mixed with an equal portion of water for maximum protection.

Key Solution - Frozen door locks can be overcome with a squirt of de-icer spray.

Air It Out - Don’t let frigid temperatures tempt you into starting your car in a closed garage or idling your engine for long periods with the windows closed. Carbon monoxide, present in exhaust fumes, is almost impossible to detect and can be fatal when breathed in a confined area.

Finish Up - Road salt, slush and grime are especially hard on car’s finish. To help prevent rust and paint damage, keep cars washed and waxed. A full or self-service car wash makes the job easier when temperatures are low.

Winter Survival Kit Checklist

Flashlight
Blankets
Booster Cables
Warning device, such as flares or reflective triangle
Small bag of abrasive material, such as sand or cat litter
Cloth or a roll of paper towels
Small shovel

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Published in the January/February 2002 issue of the AAA Traveler.