VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Freezing temperatures can cause extra stress on vehicles, but there are some things you can do to prepare.
Jean Soutier of Back Bay Auto Repair first recommends having your battery tested. He says most car repair shops and auto parts stores have a machine to check the health of the battery.
“We actually had a vehicle in the other day that was being serviced and the battery had gone bad because the first initial cold snap started happening,” described Soutier. “And that’s what we could attribute it to was a 5-year-old battery… most batteries last 3-5 years.”
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In addition to a battery check, Soutier also recommends looking at fluids.
“Your antifreeze, over time, can break down… actually won’t keep the freezing capabilities like it should,” he said. "A motor, if it freezes up, if there’s too much water inside the system, it can actually crack an engine block, crack your radiator and then you’re ending up spending a whole lot more on your vehicle just because your motor’s cracked over something very simple."
It’s good to have windshield wiper fluid, but the mechanics at Back Bay Auto suggest buying a winter-safe one from Rain-X or Prestone.
Soutier also warns drivers to turn off the wipers at the end of the night, because if they’re left on in the morning and they’re frozen, it could not only damage the blades but even wear out the motor for the wipers.
Warming up the car is fine, he says.
"Turn your defrost on right away," said Soutier. "If you wait to turn your defrost on until the vehicle gets warm, you have a very good chance of cracking your windshield because of the heat shock."
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Tire pressure and tread are also, of course, important.
“You hit icy spots and if you got a bald tire, obviously it’s going to make your vehicle go out of control or tend to slip a lot more,” explained Soutier. “And if you have older tires, the tires do get hard and their gripping capabilities kind of go out the window at that point.
Finally, have a backup plan. Know who you’ll call if your car breaks down and have some supplies like jumper cables, a blanket and even a cell phone battery bank.
Soutier says if you have any doubts about your car’s readiness, take it to your local mechanic.
