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#3: CHARGE THE BATTERY
A car battery can take quite a beating over the cold winter months, especially if the car it’s in is parked outside overnight. It’s a good idea to make sure your car’s battery is fully charged. Also keep in mind that while a car battery’s voltage may show a full 12 volts, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s got a full, 100% charge.
…except when the kids try to play with it.
It is also a good idea to make sure your terminals are free of corrosion. Sometimes, a battery can be fully charged but not start the car, due to the blue and white powdery corrosion that builds up around the terminals, especially in the cold winter months. Make sure to pull the terminals and clean the inside, along with the battery terminals themselves, with a simple battery terminal cleaner. A light grit piece of sand paper should be able to do the trick as well. Having the terminals clean will ensure a good connection between the cables and the battery.
#4: WINDSHIELD WIPERS
When spring comes, usually there is rain that comes with it in various parts of the country (how does that saying go—April showers, May flowers…). Therefore, we need to make sure our windshield wipers are up to the task.
Unfortunately, something else that can take a beating in the cold winter months is a windshield wiper. First, extreme cold weather is hard on the rubber that is on the wiping surface of the wiper. Second, how many of us have had the wipers automatically turn on when we use a de-icing wiper fluid on the windshield? When the wiper passes over those bumpy, frozen raindrops on the windshield, that will diminish the lifespan of the wiper as well. Therefore, make sure to check those wipers.
Sparkplugs.com carries designer-style Denso wipers for a variety of cars. They fit our Project Supra and gave our 22-year-old car a slightly more updated look there.
#5: TIRES
The tires are one of the most important things on a vehicle. They affect handling, braking, acceleration, ride quality, and fuel economy. They only work well when properly inflated, and improper inflation will also drastically reduce tire life. A tire’s pressure will increase roughly 1 PSI with every 10F rise in ambient temperature. The sun’s radiant heat can raise this figure even more.
