There's still plenty of lovely weather to enjoy before winter rears its frosty little head, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn't be getting ready for it. You don't want to wait until winter has arrived to get your car ready for cold weather. The fall is the perfect time to start preparing your vehicle for winter driving.
You want to make sure your vehicle is in top condition before the winter arrives. Here are some things to look at this fall:
- Check the battery. Older batteries might have trouble working in cold weather. Check your voltage and replace your battery if necessary.
- Check all the fluid levels in your vehicle. This includes brake fluid, steering fluid, engine oil, transmission fluid, and coolant. Fall is a good time to get an oil change.
- Examine your tires and make sure they are filled to the correct air pressure and that the tread is in good condition. If you live here in Northwest Arkansas, you might not need to invest in a set of winter tires. Summer tires tend to be all-year tires. However if you live in an area that gets heavy snows, you might want to purchase a set of snow tires. Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is great for tackling inclement weather, but a set of winter tires can make a huge difference in performance on snow and ice-covered roads.
- Check your spare and make sure it is filled to the right PSI.
- It's not a bad idea to keep an emergency kit in your car in case you run into car trouble during the winter. Keep things like a headlamp, blanket, phone charger, hand warmers, and a bottle of water as well as items for your car. Read our full list of recommended emergency items.
- Have a small collapsible shovel for snow and an ice scraper in your vehicle.
- Bring your vehicle in for professional maintenance. We're running a fall service special now until the end of October.
- Visibility is the key to safe driving in the winter. Clean the inside of your windshield, your windows, the rear windshield, and clean your mirrors. Replace your windshield wipers. Consider a de-icing windshield wiper fluid.
- Make sure your heater and defroster work. It's better to get these things fixed in the fall before temperatures drop.
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