Among all the seasons, car maintenance is especially required during the winter season. Winters pose a threat to all things mechanical due to the fluctuating cold temperatures. Car owners need to go through a winter car service checklist to ensure that their vehicles are not damaged in any way and work in top condition.
Winter Car Care Tips
Throughout the course of a year, a car should be ideally sent for servicing either once or twice depending on the usage of the car and its overall condition. It is always advised for everyone to make sure that the servicing is done in accordance with the season that is ahead.
Indian winters can be rainy, snowy or can even have dense fog depending on where the vehicle is being driven. There are a number of minute adjustments that can be added to your car's care to make it function better in the winters.
Checklist on car maintenance during winter for ideal winter car care
There are a number of ways that a car can be maintained in the winter season without the need for servicing as well. Some of the tips for vehicle owners during winter season include:
1.      Check the Battery of the Vehicle - This is important as the battery of a car can change its functionality with cooler temperatures. For some old cars, the batteries may not last through another winter, so it is important for them to be checked and replaced if necessary.
2.      Check the Tyres every other day - In regions where there is a lot of rain, it is imperative for cars to be equipped with more grip as they may skid on the road. In some regions winters coincide with the North-East monsoon and winter car care involves servicing tyres frequently.
Tyres that are too smooth need to be changed to heavy grip tyres. In places where it snows, car tyres have to have chains on them to help them grip the road better to avoid accidents. Pressures on tyres also drop constantly during the winter season. Car pressure has to be checked periodically in order to avoid accidents. Tyre care is the main winter car care essential in places with high rainfall.
3.      Pay Attention to Headlights and Taillights - During the winter season, primarily in the hilly regions and plains of India, a lot of fog is seen on the roads. Fog obstructs sight and is the cause of a number of accidents throughout the year. Fog lights can be specially fitted in a vehicle as they can penetrate through dense fog and alert other vehicles at the same time. Taillights should also be modified for this as an ideal winter car care strategy.
4.      Check Windshield Wipers - For those cars that operate in areas that experience heavy rain in winters, it is essential that the windshield and wipers of the car be checked and changed if necessary. Among all the parts of a car, rubber is easily degraded and can form mold in damp conditions, so it is necessary for it to be changed. These precautions are to avoid sticky situations on the road and for better safety.
5.      Check the Fuel Tank - If your car is not used so often and is lying around, you should check the fuel tank from time to time. During the winter season, the fuel within a car could freeze depending on the weather. For this reason, it is always advised for all cars to have a full tank making it hard to freeze. Besides, having a full tank is also good on the road.
Car Insurance for minor glitches in winter
In India, anyone who owns a motor vehicle of any sort is required to have a valid insurance plan before driving on the road. This insurance plan is mandatory by the Motor Vehicle Act passed by the Government of India. In winters, there is a probability of minor accidents due to less visibility. In such cases, valid car insurance can save you from a lot of trouble!
