With the holiday season behind us and the promise of Spring still months away, these cold days of winter can be long and brutal, especially when trying to stick to our New Year’s resolutions. Why not take care of an easy one right away and set your mind at ease – keeping your car in tip top shape! Liberty Auto Center, with locations in Rockville and Gaithersburg, Maryland, offers a multitude of services which can help preserve the life of your vehicle and keep it operating at peak performance levels as you drive it into the new year.
Check your battery. Cold weather is tough on your car’s battery. The chemical reactions required to generate power in a car battery slow down as the temperature drops. Have the expert technicians at Liberty Auto Center run a battery load test to see if it needs replacement. Even if it doesn’t, they’ll check for and clean up any corrosion they find on your posts and connections.
Change your wiper blades and refill your wiper fluid. You need to see the road to drive safely, but the build-up of winter precipitation and salt on your windshield can greatly reduce visibility. Working windshield wipers and a solid supply of wiper fluid will ensure that you have a clear line of sight even in the nastiest snowstorm.
Check your tire pressure. If you don’t replace your regular tires with snow tires, at least keep them properly inflated during the winter. Cold weather causes air pressure in your tires to drop. For every 10 degree drop in temperature, your tire’s air pressure will drop about 1 psi.
Check your four-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive can provide better traction when driving on snowy and icy roads…if it’s working correctly, that is! Have your 4WD checked by one of the pros from Liberty Auto Center. They’ll ensure the system engages smoothly and that the transmission and gear fluids are at their correct level.
Check your antifreeze mixture. The mixture of antifreeze and water in your radiator should be about 50:50. This will prevent the coolant in your radiator from freezing.
Change the oil and adjust the viscosity. In order for your engine to run, it needs proper lubrication from oil. Unfortunately, cold weather reduces the oil’s effectiveness. The colder it is outside, the thicker the oil gets, and thick oil doesn’t circulate through your engine as easily as thin oil. Let the service technicians at Liberty Auto Center determine the proper viscosity (that’s the thickness or thinness of a liquid) of oil you need in the winter.
Check your belts and hoses. Cold temperatures can weaken the belts and hoses that help make your engine run. Have them checked for any signs of wear and tear and have them replaced if needed.
These checks and balances will go a long way towards keeping you safe on the road and avoiding breakdowns with preventative maintenance. If you live in Maryland, start the new year off with confidence that your vehicle is in good working order by scheduling an appointment with the car care experts at Liberty Auto Centers in Rockville and Gaithersburg. Experiencing their thorough, convenient, and efficient service is a resolution you can afford to keep!
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