Cold Weather

     Well the kids are back in school and the next long weekend is way off in October. Time to think about the challenges of cold weather driving. For the next few columns we’ll glance over some of the things you should be aware of to get you ride ready for the fall season. The summer’s constant sun, the dust, and higher mileages take their toll on your car’s body. So let take a moment and talk about things you can do to help your car look better and last longer. First of all let’s do a thorough cleaning. Now that doesn't mean just running it through the local car wash. Open every storage area in the car; remove all the stuff you have been lugging around. Coolers, golf equipment, half empty water bottles, etc. Clean out all the clutter. Clean out the potato chips under the seat, the coins in the ashtray. Vacuum those areas.
     Next use good quality upholstery cleaner and clean the seats and carpets. Nothing ages a car as does a tatty interior. Use a vinyl preservative on the dash and other plastic panels. Vinyl sweats in hot temperatures and eventually dries out. Unmaintained, the panels will crack and fade. Remember, in most vehicles the air bags are mounted under the dash pad, not maintaining the panel’s flexibility can become a safety issue. Buy yourself some time by applying these products.
     Here’s a trick I uses to remove tobacco and other stains from the headliner. Used a damp cloth, soaked in a mild soap solution and wipe the headliner material. A simple wipe will do wonders. Clean the windows and you’re done. Note, cars tend to rust more in the warm weather, than in the months when everything is frozen. Have your car oil sprayed now. You can still get an appointment (tougher as we head into the colder months) and its great protection. We have recommended the folks at Krown for years. The stuff is applied annually and best of all works. Krown .ca for more details.

     Hey, don’t shoot the messenger, but; WINTER IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. According to a survey conducted by the Car Care Council, 70 percent of the people interviewed admitted to not winterizing their vehicles at all. Let’s look at a few items to help you get prepared for the cold. First off, have the coolant tested and replace if necessary. Coolant must be able to with stand temps of -35 degrees F at the very minimum. Coolant should not be older than 5 years. Why? The chemicals in solution, rust inhibiters, anti-foam agents etc. get used up.
     In coolant, well past it’s prime metal particles form. The particles are a result of wear in the water pump. Metal in the coolant will actually upset the readings of the sensors that are immersed in the block, upsetting the car’s performance. Check your battery! Winter’s icy blast can cut a battery's life in half. Have a battery load test performed while doing your winter regiment. The tech will hook up a tester that will check not only the battery’s performance, but, also test the condition of the charging system. Operating in subzero conditions stresses the vehicle’s entire electrical system.
     Keep tires at the proper pressure. Having a tire gauge is very inexpensive and easy to keep in your glove box. Tires loose about a pound a month of pressure in normal conditions. This condition will soon deflate tires to where they become dangerously underinflated. Also consider specialized winter tires. Manufactures now recommend that tires are replaced in sets of four. This is done to ensure the same level of traction at each corner. Having the tires mounted on winter rims makes the seasonal change over easier and can avoid damaging the tires by eliminating mounting and dismounting annually. Finally remember to keep your gas tank half full. This will help to prevent the development of water in the fuel and eliminate fuel line freeze up. Don’t you just love it?

     Well I knew it was going to happen. The extreme cold has visited southern Ontario. I have included some helpful hints to help you and your car through these frigid times. First off don’t park the nose of your car into the wind. The cold wind has a detrimental effect on the components, including reducing the energy level of your battery. The wind also will drive moisture under the hood. Bad things happen to electronics when they get wet.
     Try and shut down all components when parking your vehicle overnight. Especially the wipers. The blades will freeze to the glass and could sustain damage as they try and start up. Open the passenger window about a ¼ of an inch when parked over night. This will allow the interior to vent removing the day’s moisture. Place an old newspaper on the floor. The paper will wick away water you carry into the car on those slushy days. Swap out the paper very couple of days.
     Modern cars do not require long warm ups after cold start up. In fact long periods of cold idling are not good for the running gear. The majority of engine wear is caused by lack of lubrication. In fact a warm running engine will wear very little. Everything is bathed in oil. For best results – warm the engine for about one minute and drive off slowly. The computer will adjust the engine as you drive so that you won’t experience any drivability issues. Watch your oil level. When running in cold temperatures oil consumption may increase. One more thing. Walk around your car every so often. In this weather most of us never see the passenger side of the car. We just gas and go.

Snow Tires

     Winters in Quebec should be safer this year. At least that’s according to all the experts. The law makers in the Quebec have legislated that all vehicles registered in La belle Provence will require snow tires mounted on all four wheels. Wow, what a bold step. It’s true that snow tires work better in the cold. Better traction and shorter stopping distances. All makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately the industry did not react properly to this legislation and we find ourselves with shortages. In fact there are snow tire shortages throughout the country.
     Thinking of buying snow tires for your ride this year? Don’t hesitate. Stocks are low. If your vehicle is a front wheel drive model consider purchasing 4 tires. It’s actually best to have all wheels running with the same level of traction, helping you avoid skids in heavy snow.
     Look at the DOT number. This is a code burned into the side of the tire. The important part, the last 4 digits. The last 4 digits identify when the tire was made. The first 2 digits of the last four will identify the week . Example 23 would translate into the week of June 1. The last 2 digits identify the year. So, 2305 translates into Jun 1st 2005. Take the time and find this number. There is a lot of old stock out there. Especially if you are price shopping, and the demand for tires remains high. Manufactures recommend no more than 6 years old on the road. Buy replacement rims for your snows. Makes the winter change over easier and eliminates the chance of damage to your tires that mounting and dismounting cause. It just makes good sense.