Winters are here again in many countries and they are just around the corner in the remaining places. Temperatures will quickly jump to single digits whereas the wind will feel sharp and even painful. With such challenging weather, not only the drivers but their cars are also severely affected.
If you want your car to work optimally, you should be aware of all the potential winter-related problems, and how you can cope with them. This article will mention some of those issues. If you want to sell a car in Dubai, visit our CarSwitch website.
If you drive an EV
Driving an EV is great but the cold season is harsh on this car segment. The freezing temperatures harm the battery’s chemistry which results in poor energy for acceleration. Plus, it slows down the performance and efficiency of the car too. The battery has to exert more energy to keep it at a working temperature and a bit more energy to warm up the interior.
This leads to poor efficiency which means you can’t enjoy the range you used to before. This is something you have to think about.
If you have deflated tires
When the air within the tires gets cold, it offers less pressure and contracts easily. This will result in frequent deflation. To solve this issue, check the tire pressure more often. It is recommended to check the tire pressure weekly in the cold season.
Some drivers think a bit of deflation will lead to improved traction but experts advise everyone to be careful against driving tires below the automaker’s recommended pressure. This will cause harmful treadwear. Therefore, you should use winter tires instead.
If you have a dead battery
The cold season does not go easy on the battery. Most often, it will be difficult to start your car which means the battery is dead. However, you can fix it easily by using jumper cables. But if you want to prevent a dead battery, you should keep its connections tight, clean, and without any corrosion.
Plus, if your battery is more than three years old, you should replace it. If you live in a very cold climate, buy a battery warmer which is available online and in stores too.
Read More: How to Prepare your Car for Winter
If the oil gets thick
If the temperature is -20°C, the oil gets vicious to the point that the oil pump is unable to hold the oil or flow it around. Therefore, use low-viscous oil in winter such as synthetic oils.
For a better recommendation for which oil to use, read the owner’s manual. The synthetic oils offer improved start-up performance and can circulate at -40 Fahrenheit.
If the ice gets in the fuel line
The gasoline is not likely to freeze no matter how cold it is. But water moisture in the gas line can probably turn to ice. When it comes to fuel, if there is any water percentage in the fuel tank, it will freeze and clog the fuel line. Therefore, keep the tank half full at least.
If the screens get lethargic
If you have LCD screens in your car, they can be a bit slow when the cold strikes. Similar to the battery and engine’s oil, the molecules in the LCD screen will become sluggish.
There is not much to do to solve this except wait for the vehicle to warm up. You can install an engine-block heater for faster warm-up.
If the windshield wipers don’t work properly
Freezing temperatures can cause the rubber of the windshield wiper blades to become weak. This can make the wiper blades crack or tear apart. Plus, washer fluids do not work properly in winter too.
Therefore, you can purchase winter wiper blades that can cope with extreme temperatures. Alternatively, you can check whether the current blades are brittle or old. The ideal time to replace wiper blades is 6 months.
If the windshield gets frozen on the inside
If your vehicle’s defrost function is not working ideally, this will pose a threat to your safety. The passenger’s breath can condense and get frozen on the inside of the windshield if you ride without any defrost function.
Therefore, ensure that all heating and defrosting functions in the car are working properly.
