How to prepare your car for winter

Many of us always keep a snow brush and an ice scraper in our car during the colder months of the year. But are you aware of the tips below?

Double check the car battery

Has it been a while since you last replaced your car battery? If it's been more than five to seven years since your last battery replacement, it may be time to replace it before winter arrives, as batteries discharge more quickly in cold weather. You can also have your battery level measured at a garage if you're unsure.

Repairing stone chips before freezing temperatures

When it gets cold outside, a small stone chip on the window can lead to a large crack. So make sure to fix it before the first freezing temperatures to be on the safe side.

Cooling reduces pressure

The cold reduces the pressure in the tires. If the pressure is 2 bar at 20 degrees, the pressure is 1.8 bar if it is zero degrees, according to tire manufacturer Michelin. To compensate, you should therefore add 0.2 bar extra to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation if you fill up with air indoors. However, if you are outside when it is cold, you just need to follow the recommendations.

Check fluids!

Do you need to top up your coolant for winter? Also check the antifreeze with a glycol tester and top up if necessary. Don't forget to check that the anti-freeze, which keeps the engine from freezing even on the coldest days, is working properly.

Keep the windows clear

If you don't have a built-in engine heater or the ability to park your car in a heated garage, you'll likely need to scrape and brush the car before you drive off. So always keep an ice scraper and a soft brush ready in your car.

In addition to scraping your windows free of frost and ice, it is important to brush away any snow from the hood and roof. If you leave snow on the hood, you risk it blowing onto the windshield when you drive, but also that the snow on the roof will fall down onto the window when you brake suddenly.

Did you know? You can actually get a fine if you don't remove snow from your roof before driving. It counts as reckless driving.

Despite scratched windows, fog can sometimes appear on the inside of the windshield once you start driving. You can then turn on the heater fan in the car or open the car window ajar for a while while driving to get the fog out faster. To minimize the risk of fogging from the start, you can regularly wash the inside of the windshield, as fog sticks more easily to a dirty window. And you, also make sure that your washer fluid is frost-resistant in winter!

Create a winter kit for your car

Last but not least, there are some things that can be really helpful to have in the car during the winter, a kit of good-to-have things. For convenience but above all for safety.

• Ice scraper & soft brush

• Extra can of frost-resistant washer fluid

• Lock spray (if you have a car with regular locks)

• Warm blanket

• Flashlight

• Jumper cable