How to beat the freeze: Simple steps to ensure your car is winter ready

Dark nights, falling temperatures and Christmas commercials on TV can only mean one thing: winter is coming.

So it’s time to get your car ready. There are some easy steps. Consider, for example, reserving your car for a pre-winter service.

Regularly check the antifreeze and coolant levels, especially before a long journey, to prevent the engine from freezing or overheating.

Automotive groups, who attended thousands of breakdowns last winter, also have plenty of advice…

On the outside

The AA says: “Two of the factors at this time of year that are beginning to influence road accidents – broken lights and poor windshield visibility – contribute to five or six road deaths a year, although that dropped to three last year.”

Refill the windshield washer fluid with a specially made additive to reduce the chance of freezing in cold weather. Run your finger over the wiper blades to check for dents and cracks, as they usually last up to two years.

And in icy weather, make sure the wipers come off the screen before turning them on, using defroster or warm water to clear them.

Like wiper blades, tires don’t last forever. The AA (theaa.com) handles more than one tire failure per minute. And about a third of defective tires have a tread depth below the legal limit of 1.6 mm.

The AA recommends changing a tire with a depth of 2mm or less before embarking on a long trip.

It also saves you a fine and points on your driver’s license. Heavily worn or underinflated tires can affect the vehicle’s handling, especially in the wet and winter months.

Worn tires are more likely to blow out and aquaplane in wet weather. They also lead to higher fuel consumption.

While many drivers rely on their tire pressure warning light to warn them, they must be checked manually.

Under the hood

The RAC is urging motorists to check their fuel tank levels before setting off, noting: ‘You’d be surprised how many people run out of fuel and with temperatures as low as expected you don’t want to be stranded.’

Oil levels are critical as RAC patrols discover that one in three vehicles they visit contain dangerously low levels of lubricant: ‘This could cause a breakdown or, in the worst case scenario, lead to catastrophic engine damage.’

The RAC says its patrols deal with more than 400,000 battery-related failures each winter, as the cold takes its toll on older batteries and wetness and ice wreak havoc on electricity when batteries have to work much harder.

To help motorists with do-it-yourself checks, the RAC (rac.co.uk) proposes its own acronym – FORCES – which stands for: Fuel, Oil, Rubber, Coolant, Electrics, Screen-wash.

What to pack

If there’s a severe weather warning but you can’t avoid driving, carry your own DIY winter car emergency kit, the AA says.

Think of: an ice scraper; defroster; a flashlight and spare batteries; first aid kit; a fully charged mobile phone and power bank; and a spare empty jerry can.

Pack warm clothes and waterproof clothing; sturdy footwear; a bottle of hot drink; and snacks to keep your energy levels up.

Also bring a reflective/fluorescent hi-vis jacket; a warning triangle; jumper cables if you have a petrol or diesel car; and a shovel.

On the road

Before departing in bad weather, check the weather forecast and make sure you have fuel. Stay on main roads and avoid rural or hilly areas if possible.

• Watch your speed, brake smoothly, anticipate future problems and remember that in snow and ice the braking distance can be up to ten times longer.
• Keep windows clear of snow for maximum visibility. A dirty windscreen contributing to an accident can be seen as careless driving and can result in a fine of up to £100 and points on the driver’s licence.
• Fog can be a great danger. So turn on the fog lights of the car, slow down, increase the distance from the vehicles ahead. But switch off the fog lights when visibility improves or risk a £50 fine. Halfords offer an anti-fog treatment (£6.29) for windscreens that lasts up to five days.
• Driving in blinding low sun is another winter driving hazard, so make sure you always have sunglasses in the car.

nationalhighways.co.uk/travel-updates/