Tag Archives: windshield wipers

Vehicle Maintenance

Oil changes:
Older cars need oil changes every 3,000 miles, but manufacturers of newer ones typically suggest 5,000 miles, 7,500 miles or even longer intervals between changes. If you don’t drive much, change it twice a year. (Synthetic oil is expensive – maybe twice the price.)

Air filter:
If you can see light through the filter paper, it does not need to be changed yet. But change it at least every 20,000 miles or more often when it’s dusty (lots of construction or at pollen time).

Windshield Wipers:
Replace them yourself at least once a year (most recommend 2 times a year).

Adding additives to the tank?:
Don’t bother. All gas has them. Since 1994, the government has required that detergents be added to all gasoline to help prevent fuel injectors from clogging.

Tire rotation:
Every time you have an oil change have the tires rotated. Tires at the right pressure and balanced properly save one or two miles per gallon – and the expense of new tires.

Antifreeze:
Your car needs antifreeze in both summer and winter for its anticorrosion or antiwear additives. A 50-50 mix with water is suggested, unless it came diluted when you bought it. Read the label. (Keep a spare bottle in your trunk in case the car overheats on a hot day.)

Rust Treatment:
Rust is a serious problem and spreads like a rash. It can shorten the lifespan and value of any vehicle. You should have your vehicle treated for rust twice a year. The best times to prevent rust damage to your vehicle is in Autumn: before the first snowflake falls and Spring: after the first heavy rain fall; a little vehicle maintenance will help keep the rust away.

Get Ready For Winter: Tip #7

Get Ready For Winter- Tip #7

Tip 7: Replace Windshield Wipers and Wiper Fluid

Low visibility can make driving in cold weather extremely dangerous, so it’s important to make sure the wiper blades are up to par. Your wiper blades are made out of rubber, and with time they’ll crack, split and deteriorate. It’s suggested that you replace your windshield wipers every six to 12 months. Keeping your wiper fluid filled up is also a plus, as fluid can assist in breaking up snow and ice on the windshield.

Tips To Prepare Your Car For Winter

Tips To Prepare Your Car For Winter

Charge it.
Cold weather is tough on batteries. At zero degrees, a car’s battery loses about 60 percent of its strength.

Keeping battery terminal clean.
Having a load test performed by a qualified technician will help determine whether a car’s battery is strong enough for winter starts.

Get a grip.
Before winter arrives, make sure your car is equipped with tires that are able to handle tough winter weather. For most motorists, all-season tires are adequate.

See and be seen.
Danger must be seen to be avoided. Driving with a snow- covered windshield, windows, side-view mirrors or lights invites a crash. Clear windows, mirrors and lights with an ice scrapper, brush or spray de-icer. Make certain windshield wipers and defrosters are in good working order and that washer reservoirs are filled with no freeze windshield washer fluid.

Slippery when wet.
In temperatures at or just above 32 degrees, a thin layer of water can cover the ice, causing extremely slippery conditions. The distance needed to stop on ice at 32 degrees is twice as long as at zero degrees. Beware of “black ice” — ice that remains on roadways that are not in direct sunlight. Use extra caution when driving on bridges; they freeze first, because they are surrounded by cold air.

Keep your engine cool.
Make certain cooling system antifreeze is mixed with an equal portion of water for maximum protection.

Key solution.
Frozen door locks can be overcome by carefully heating the end of a key with a match or a lighter. A squirt of de-icer spray is another quick method.

Air it out.
Don’t let frigid temperatures tempt you into starting your car in a closed garage. Carbon Monoxide from exhaust fumes is almost impossible to detect and can be fatal when breathed in a confined area.