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Winter is approaching fast here in Connecticut, and that means it’s time to get your car ready for the harshest months of the year.

From freezing temperatures to inclement weather and corrosive road salt, winter can be awfully tough on any vehicle. It can also be a very dangerous time to drive, if you haven’t taken the proper precautions.

To help you get ready, Tire Country of Enfield has complied this “Preparing Your Car for Winter Checklist.” Be sure to take care of every one before it’s too late (and if you’re in the area, get your service done at Tire Country on Hazard Road in Enfield, CT).

1. ✔ Check Your Wiper Blades: Old wiper blades mean reduced visibility in inclement weather, especially in winter when sleet, freezing rain, and snow are common. Ensuring your car has new wiper blades is one of the simplest, most effective ways to improve your safety on the road this winter.
2. ✔ Check Your Tires: How’s the tread on your tires? If it’s looking a little thin, you might want to have your tires replaced before winter. Poor traction can be dangerous under the best of conditions, to say nothing of slick winter roads. Shop for tires online by clicking here, and visit Tire Country of Enfield for new tire installations.
3. ✔ Check Your Battery: Cold weather drains car batteries like nothing else. If your batter is old and low on juice, you might wake up on the morning of the first frost to a car that won’t start. Make sure your battery is in good shape before the cold comes.
4. ✔ Check Your Fluids: Coolant, windshield wiper fluid, and other fluids should all be clean and topped off before winter begins. This will ensure peak performance as well as prevent any excessive wear and tear.
5. ✔Check Your Heating System: Odds are you didn’t use your car’s heat too much over the summer. Why would you? So how would you know if it wasn’t working? Have a heating system diagnostic performed so that you know you’re heat will be nice and toasty when you need it most.
6. ✔ Check Your Drive Belts and Hoses: Cold weather can make belts and hoses brittle and more prone to failure than during the summer months. The last thing you want to deal with in the middle of a winter drive is a broken serpentine belt or heating hose. Have your belts and hoses inspected ASAP!
7. ✔ Check Your Brakes: It should go without saying that your brakes should be in good working order before winter strikes. If you think icy roads are dangerous already, try navigating them with worn out brakes! Having your brakes checked, and if necessary repaired, by a qualified professional is absolutely essential before winter strikes.
8. ✔ Check Your Lights: Make sure your headlights, high beams, turn signals, and hazard lights are all properly functioning. Be sure to replace any burned out bulbs as soon as you can. (This could save you the trouble of getting pulled over, too.)
9. ✔ Check Your Maintenance Schedule: Your car’s manual should have a regular repair schedule that details routine maintenance recommended as the vehicle reaches certain mileages. If your car is past due for manufacturer-recommended routine maintenance, now’s the perfect time to have it taken care of.
10. ✔ Put Together an Emergency Road Kit: Every car should be equipped with an emergency road kit. According to AAA, it should include at least the following:

• Salt, sand, or kitty litter for traction
• Snow shovel
• Snow brush/ice scraper
• Flashlight and batteries
• Cloth or paper towels
• Drinking water
• Extra winter clothes and blankets
• Jumper cables
• A first aid kit
• Non-perishable food
• A basic toolkit
• Mobile phone and charger
• Roadside flares

Prepare Your Car for Winter with Tire Country of Enfield

If you’re in Connecticut, a visit to Tire Country of Enfield in Enfield, CT is all you need to make sure your car is prepared for the worst winter has to offer.

Get in touch to make a service appointment today!