It’s no secret that winter can take a toll on any vehicle. Icy road surfaces, fluctuating temperatures, and just prolonged cold itself can each have negative effects on your vehicle’s systems, resulting in reduced efficiency, underperformance, and safety issues.

So how does winter stress your car’s systems, and what can you do to get the most from your vehicle during the winter months? Let’s take a look at a few key factors.

Tires

Your tires are your connection to the road and you rely on them for traction, especially in wet or icy conditions. But did you know that extreme cold can affect your tire pressure? In cold temperatures, air contracts, taking up less volume than at warm temps. This can reduce tire pressure, making your tires mushy and reducing traction on icy surfaces. Tip: Some vehicles have a dashboard warning light that comes on when your tire pressure is below the recommended factory standard. But if your vehicle doesn’t have such a system, you’ll have to check your tire pressure regularly and add a little extra air for the coldest months.

Fluids

While most of our cars fluids (motor oil, transmission fluid, steering fluid, etc.) are designed to endure cold temperatures without freezing, extreme cold can cause fluids to thicken and reduce performance. Lubricants also degrade and lose viscosity over time. They collect grit and become less efficient lubricators, which increases friction and impedes performance. Tip: Have your fluids checked and replaced if needed before the mercury drops.

Battery/Electrical

Prolonged or extreme cold can sap the strength from a car battery. A car that started promptly yesterday might refuse to turn over today, leaving you stranded. Tip: Have your car battery’s charge checked and replaced if needed. And carry jumper cables in your car. You may be able to help yourself or another motorist.

Wipers

Your vehicle’s windshield wipers have one of the toughest and most important jobs—keeping your fields of view clear during poor weather conditions. But wipers can cake up with ice and even freeze to your windshield. Tip: Before winter starts, have your wiper blades checked and replaced if needed. And never try to pry a frozen blade from a windshield. Clean the glass with a scraper first and gently free the wiper blade.

Leaks

Because water expands and contracts so easily, it can present some unique and troubling problems for your vehicle. Condensation can form, and water that condenses and then freezes will expand. With repeated freeze and thaw cycles, water can compromise seals and create leaks. Tip: Have your vehicle checked for leaks in steering, brake, or transmission fluid leaks, as these are the most common and can affect your vehicle’s performance.

Belts & Hoses

Cold temperatures and repeated freeze-thaw cycles can cause rubber hoses and belts to become brittle. Belts can snap ad hoses can rupture, leaving you along the roadside with an expensive towing and repair bill in your future. Tip: Have your vehicle’s belts and hoses checked and replaced if needed.

Rust & Corrosion

Many of the chemicals we use to keep our roads passable during ice and snow season can have negative impacts on our cars and trucks. Corrosives can cling to surfaces and damage paint and worsen rust spots. Left untreated, you may risk structural compromise to your vehicle. Tip: Remove caked snow from your car (especially areas like the wheel wells, where snow tends to cake.) And address any visible body rust now, before it becomes a structural safety issue.

We hope you find these tips helpful. At Main Line Transmissions, our skilled technicians are ready to provide quality service to keep your vehicle running safely in any season.