Is Your Car Ready for Winter?

Have you gone through your pre season checklist yet for your car? Why not? It's the end of September and some states have already had their first frost! For safe winter travel the vehicle must be in good mechanical condition, have clean motor oil of the proper viscosity (check your owner's manual), a cooling system with 50 to 100% antifreeze, and properly inflated tires with at least 50% tread. Drivers of licensed vehicles are responsible for preventive maintenance safety checks and ensuring maintenance and annual inspections are done. However, all drivers should do a short pretrip safety inspection. Turn on the headlights and emergency flasher and walk around the vehicle. Make sure all the lights work and are clean. Visually check the tires, check for body damage, and ensure all cargo is secure. Under the hood, check fluid levels, belts, and scan for leaks. Make sure you have a fire extinguisher, first aid (a bonus), tire chains (if legal in your state), a credit card, decent wiper blades, windshield washer antifreeze, and an ice scraper. Travelers need to be prepared with warm clothes, and possibly a blanket in case they become stranded. Adjust the mirrors, and familiarize yourself with the controls. With the engine running, apply hard constant pressure to the brake pedal for 5 seconds. The pedal should stop about half way to the floor and not settle. Set the emergency brake and gently try to move the vehicle. While driving, monitor the performance of the vehicle.