Winter Car Maintenance Checklist: Winterizing Your Vehicle

As a driver, you need to be ready for anything Mother Nature throws your way; although this is true throughout the year, it's imperative during the winter months.

A particularly harsh winter storm can turn a fun drive into a treacherous trek in the blink of an eye. If you don’t have strong winter driving skills, you might get into an accident or lose control of your vehicle.

Do you want to ensure that you and your family stay safe on the road this winter? We thought so. That's why we put together this thorough winter car maintenance checklist. After reading through this checklist, you'll not only learn how to winterize your vehicle, but you'll also learn a trick or two that can help you save on car insurance.

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Install winter tires

Installing winter tires should be at the top of everyone's car winter maintenance to-do list for a number of reasons.

First of all, winter tires are a game-changer when it comes to driving on slick roads. This is thanks to the unique tread that features sharp "teeth" that bite into snow, slush and even black ice.

Modern winter tires are made out of a specialized material that gets grippier in cold temperatures, which helps you retain control while braking (even on inclines). Not only does this feature help keep you stay in control, but it can also decrease the likelihood of accidents.

Not to mention, installing winter tires can also help you save on car insurance in most Canadian provinces — for instance, many car insurance providers in Ontario offer a 5% to drivers that use winter tires.

Check tire pressure

While we're on the topic, we feel it's important to remind drivers to check their tire pressure before hitting the road. 

Driving with low tire pressure is extremely dangerous, particularly in the winter. This is due to the fact that driving with low tire pressure increases the surface area of the wheel. In turn, the tire creates more friction, which, at best, can lead to excessive wear-and-tear and, at worst, lead to a tire blowout.

Assess the condition of your brakes

Regardless of what type of tires or other safety gadgets you may have, you need to ensure that your brakes are in proper working order.

If your brakes aren't functioning correctly, you won't be able to stop or slow down as quickly. Not having the ability to control your vehicle accurately puts yourself and others at risk.

If you've noticed any of the following issues in the past, it would be wise for you to take your vehicle to a local dealership or licensed mechanic for a check-up:

• Harsh, metallic screeching noise
• Vehicle pulling to a particular side
• Brake pedal pulsates

Check your car battery's voltage

Few things are worse than spending ten minutes trying to start your car on a frigid morning, only to find out that the battery is dead.

Thankfully, you can ensure that this doesn't happen if you check your car battery's voltage during the winterization process. For a step-by-step guide on how to check your car battery's voltage level, feel free to click this link.

If you don't feel comfortable or have the time to check your car battery's voltage level, you can contact a licensed mechanic to do it for you.

Don't forget to top up your coolant

As you may know, topping up coolant is a vital part of car maintenance for winter driving in Canada. Topping up the coolant in your vehicle helps things run smoothly and prevents rust from forming in the coolant system.

Additionally, coolant that has sat in your vehicle for an extended period is more prone to freezing than a fresh mixture. As you can imagine, frozen coolant isn't ideal for the engine and can lead to expensive damage if left unaddressed for too long.

Bonus tip — Please remember to top up the coolant and other fluids if you’re storing your car for the winter.

Install new windshield wiper blades

When was the last time you swapped out your windshield wiper blades? Yeah… we figured it had been a while.

Although it may not seem like a task that needs to be at the top of your winter maintenance checklist, there are several reasons why you should install fresh windshield wiper blades every couple of years.

Having clear visibility is important throughout the entire year; however, it's essential during the winter. New windshield wiper blades drastically improve your visibility by removing caked-on snow, ice and other debris that old blades leave behind.

Installing fresh windshield wiper blades can also give you confidence on the road, as you know you'll be able to see clearly, even during:

• Snowstorms
• Hailstorms
• Rainstorms

Put an emergency kit together

We would be remiss to spend all this time talking about winter maintenance for cars without mentioning the importance of having an emergency kit.

An emergency kit can give you peace of mind, as it can ensure that you'll stay comfortable, warm and safe if your vehicle breaks down. You can also make use of your emergency kit if you get into an unexpected collision that results in injuries that require first aid.

We suggest including the following items in your winter emergency kit:

• Blankets
• External power source for smartphone
• Non-perishable food (granola bars, beef jerky, etc.)
• Water (pro tip — wrap the water in a blanket to prevent freezing)
• Flashlights
• Basic tools
• Flares
• Basic first aid equipment (bandages, medical gauze, etc.)

Winterizing your vehicle is more important than you expect

After reading this article, you now know why winterizing your vehicle is so important. Taking the time to winterize your car can drastically decrease the chances of several winter-related issues occurring or getting worse.