Is your car ready for the winter?
A flat battery, frozen door locks, slippery roads ... winter often leaves drivers stranded. But it doesn't have to be this way, if you come well prepared. These six tips can make your car 'winterproof'.
1. Fit winter tires
Winter tyres are not mandatory in Belgium, but they are nevertheless recommended in the winter months. Due to their specific rubber compound and custom profile, at low temperatures they ensure a better grip on wet or slippery road surfaces.
TIP: Check the tread depth of your tyres. The legal minimum is 1.6 mm, but 2 to 3 mm is recommended for safe driving in wintry conditions.
2. Car battery in good condition
The capacity of a battery decreases at low outdoor temperatures, which is exactly when it must be able to deliver full power. A car battery has an average lifespan of 4 to 5 years. Replace yours in time to avoid starting problems in winter.
TIP: Briefly turn on your car’s headlights before you start the engine, this way you warm up the car battery.
3. Protect the windscreen
Covering your windscreen with cover or a piece of cardboard lets you leave quickly and safely. Also remember that the headlights, the side mirrors as well as the windows and mirrors must be free from ice and snow. This is essential in order to safely see the road ahead and, in this way, you avoid any fines.
4. Keep an ice scraper at hand
Keeping an ice scraper and a lock defroster in the car doesn't help you much if you cannot get into the car. Therefore, keep them close at hand. That way, you are equipped to prepare your car for a drive.
5. A sheltered place
Make sure that you can keep your car in a garage or in a sheltered place overnight during the winter. That way, you can keep it free from snow and ice and the battery suffers less from the frost.
TIP: Once you have set off, switch on the ventilation (preferably the air conditioning), that way you prevent the windows from fogging.
6. Antifreeze in the coolant
Regularly check the windscreen washer fluid level and add some antifreeze to it. It is certainly a good idea to keep an extra container of washer fluid in the car. In winter, you end up cleaning your windscreen more often in order to see better. It is also important to ensure that there is anti-freeze in the engine’s cooling system to stop the coolant from freezing on cold winter nights. Top up whenever necessary.
Still ended up in trouble? Visit a Carr&Repair branch in your neighbourhood and let them repair any damage.