by Donna Hicks

Created on: November 27, 2011   Last Updated: January 14, 2012

Winterizing your car consists of considerably more than switching from air conditioning to heat. During the winter months, a lot of people may sadly discover they did not know much about winterizing their car, while others realize the consequences of failing to take necessary action to winterize their car. Knowing how to properly winterize your car not only is more likely to assure that you and your family will be kept safer when driving during the winter, but will potentially save you a considerable amount of money.

If you don’t know how, then don’t do it yourself

Most individuals have a family member or at least know someone who professed to have the knowledge to maintain and repair his or her own vehicle and was the brunt of family jokes and topic of dinner conversations after ending up with costly repairs or a destroyed car because of that “expertise” gone wrong.

Rather than trying to be an expert when you really are not, do not attempt to winterize your car if you do not have the knowledge to do so. It is okay if you do not know how to properly replace, change, repair or upgrade any parts, systems or fluids in your car. That is why you are an expert in your chosen field and there are others who have chosen to be experts in the automotive fields. So rather than risk costly repairs after you have done novice “winterizing,” leave it to the experts. It will save you a great deal of money and potentially better protect you and your loved ones this winter.

Change the tires

If you live in an area where there is snow, ice and other unsafe weather conditions, the tires you drove on all summer may not be the right tires for winter. Have the tires checked and changed if necessary.

Having the wrong tires during the winter can cause you to slide and skid on ice, can get you stuck in even a small amount of snow and can cause you to be in an accident and not only potentially injure the people in your car, but in another car should you slide into another vehicle. Please have the proper tires on your car for winter weather conditions in your area!

It is also imperative that you check regularly to be sure your tires are properly inflated. Make sure you keep a tire gauge in your car at all times.

Change the antifreeze

While driving around with water as a coolant all summer worked just fine, you can destroy your car when that water freezes in the winter. But do not just dump any antifreeze into your vehicle.

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