Winter is upon us, and winter driving comes with it. While safety is an important consideration all year long, there are certainly some auto maintenance jobs and safety checks that are specific to chilled air and winter driving that are a good idea to check into before we’re knee deep in the season. To be sure you don’t end up a road popsicle, or even worse end up with your holiday budget on ice thanks to unexpected repairs, have a look under the hood to be sure things are ship shape. As with any change of season, you should go to your regular maintenance log to make sure you are up to date on the maintenance items that should be taken care of throughout the year. The change of seasons is a great time to go through some once-a-year or twice-a-year auto maintenance tasks.

Winter Specific Maintenance
In addition to the added perils of winter driving, the change in weather can bring peril to your car’s systems. Freezing temps, salted roads and wintry precipitation can gang up on your car if you don’t give it a baseball-bat sized maintenance session. These winter maintenance jobs will keep you out of trouble:

Check your antifreeze
Your antifreeze (the juice that goes in your radiator) is an essential part of your car’s winter protection. Your car contains a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze. Make sure the level is full and the mixture is close to 50/50. Many service stations and repair centers will check this mixture free, or you can buy a tester for around $5. You did remember to perform a radiator flush last spring, didn’t you?

• Inspect your tires
  The last line of defense between you and an oak tree are your tires. Winter is not the time to get cheap about your tires, so take the time to check the tread depth. The National Highway Transportation Safety Board says you need at least 2/32″ of depth to be safe. It’s been my experience, especially in winter weather, that anything less than 4/32″ (1/8″) be replaced soon. The old penny test is as reliable as anything to find out whether your treads are ready for winter action. Also, be sure to check your tire pressure. Believe it or not, they lose a little pressure when it gets cold, so pump ‘em up.
• Replace your wipers
  Wipers? What do your windshield wipers have to do with winter weather? Two things. First, anything falling from the sky is going to end up on your windshield, and unless you have a team of beavers riding on the hood of your car the task of clearing it falls on your wipers. Second, in areas that see snowfall in the winter, you’re also driving through that soupy muck that’s left on the road once the highway department does their thing. This muck includes a lot of sand and salt, both of which end up on your windshield. It takes wipers that are in top shape to keep your windshield clean and safe.
• Check your windshield washer fluid
  You’ll be using lots of washer fluid as you try to keep your windshield sparkly. A mile stuck behind an 18-wheeler will have your windshield looking like a Desert Humvee if you’re low on washer fluid. *Tip: Don’t fill your washer fluid reservoir with anything except washer fluid, it won’t freeze!

Annual Maintenance Procedures
On top of the checks you need to perform to ensure safe winter driving, now’s a good time to do some annual maintenance. These aren’t necessarily specific to winter driving, but it’s a good point on the calendar to get around to doing this stuff.

• Clean your battery posts
  Starting problems are a bummer any time of year. Regularly treating your battery to a cleaning can keep electrical gremlins at bay.
• Inspect your spark plug wires
  Cracked up plug wires affect performance, gas mileage and general reliability. Be sure yours are in top shape.
• Inspect your brakes
  Brakes are not a good area to cut corners. Be sure your brakes have enough meat left to get you through the season.
• Check Your Engine Oil
  This should go without saying and should be done at least monthly. But in case you’re an amnesiac … you should also do an oil change!

Cold weather safety should be a concern for anybody living in a cold climate. These tips will give you the upper hand when Old Man Winter tries to put a chill on your winter travels. If you’re extra curious about staying generally safe in winter weather, the National Weather Service has an excellent Winter Safety & Awareness guide that covers everything from how storms brew to a list of history’s billion dollar winter wonders.

Using a trailer is quickly becoming part of the American lifestyle. Whether you’re towing the boat, the jet-skis, or the utility trailer, towing is here to stay. But if you’re going to be part of the population that is pulling a trailer make sure you put safety first. Many new cars and trucks come with towing Packages, but most do not come with a Trailer Brake Control. The Trailer Brake Control is a module that controls the electric brakes found on many trailers. You will need to install a brake control if you want those brakes to help you stop your vehicle and the trailer you are towing. If your vehicle has a Towing Package, installing the Brake Control is a pretty simple affair, you just have to buy an additional wiring harness that plugs directly into the plug your car came with. If your vehicle does not have a towing package it can be a lot more complicated because you have to splice in the wiring yourself, which is much more complicated than the plug-in.

This Brake Control installation was performed on a Nissan Titan Pickup, but your application will be similar. The first step is to look under your dash to see if you see a plug labeled “Electric Brake Controller.” If this is the case you will have an easy time of it.

The Brake Controller comes with a wiring harness that is the kind you have to splice into your vehicle’s wiring. If you have never done wiring on a car before you might not want to attempt this install as your first wiring project. If your vehicle comes with a Towing Package you should have a Brake Control plug already wired and ready to go. You will need to use the wiring harness that is made for your vehicle.

Once the wiring is done all that is left to do is to install the Brake Control Module under your dash. The Brake Controller comes with a bracket that screws in. You will want to install the Brake Controller in a spot where you can access it easily but where it will not be in the way. Once installed you can determine how much braking you want on the trailer by setting the Brake Control Module. Setting the Module will depend on your comfort level and what it is you’re towing.

Most people know the green stuff in your radiator keeps your engine from turning into a block of ice in the winter, but did you know that it also helps keep things cool in the summer? All too often people are driving around with just water in their radiator because they think they don’t need the green stuff until it gets cold.

Radiator coolant actually raises the boiling point of the water, allowing it to carry more heat away from the engine, and that means cooler running. If you’re running low, things can get steamy fast. Think of your coolant as a spring dance chaperon, there to keep things nice and cool even when you’re doing a lot of moving around.

Luckily it only takes a second to check your coolant level. Most cars these days have an opaque coolant overflow tank right next to the radiator. It’s white plastic, but you can see inside to see if there’s enough juice to keep things safe. You’ll also see markings on the side telling you the low and high levels to work with. Always check your coolant level when the car is cold.

If your levels are good, no need to go any further, enjoy the peace of mind. But if you’re low, you’ll need to top it off. Your engine takes a 50/50 mixture of coolant and water. In the old days, you had to make measurements yourself and test the mixture to get it right. But since we live in the age of convenience, you can now buy premixed coolant that’s ready to pour. For a simple topping off, I recommend going this route. It might cost a buck more, but you’re in for much less mess.

To add the coolant, simply unscrew or pop off the cap on top of the opaque plastic overflow reservoir and add your mixture until it reaches the full mark. Now put the cap back on nice and tight and you’re ready for any weather.

*Safety Point: If you spill any coolant on the ground while you’re filling, be sure to wipe it up. Coolant is very toxic to animals, but they like to drink it because it tastes sweet. Save a little furry life!

If you have a boat or a camper that you’re towing on a regular basis, chances are your trailer is equipped with electric trailer brakes. All too often I come across people who own trailers with brakes, but have nothing set up inside the truck to make the brakes work! In order to actually use the brakes on your trailer, you need to install a trailer brake controller, a little electronic box that tells your trailer when to apply the brakes and how hard to apply them. The good news is that most trucks these days already have a wiring harness in place, you just need to add the control box. If your trailer has brakes and you’re not using them, you are posing a safety hazard on the rest of the world, and yourself.

Take 10 minutes and install a trailer brake controller so you can ride in peace. Check out the tutorial HERE

Your car tires are the only thing keeping your car on the road, so making sure you have enough tread depth to drive safely in any conditions should be a top priority. Hydroplaning in the rain is caused by a worn car tire’s inability to cut through the water and touch the road, causing your car to “float” across the street’s surface. The more tread on your tires, the less likely you will hydroplane. The same goes for driving in the snow. The “Abe Lincoln” car tire test is an old one, but it’s still the quickest and cheapest way to check the condition of your tires. Take a penny and stick Honest Abe’s head into the groove of your tire. If it sinks in up to his hairline, you’re a-ok. If not, you should consider getting new tires sometime soon.

Why is it that we never seem to remember to change our windshield wipers? You know you need ‘em, you know they’re cheap, you know how easy it is to install new wipers, but your windshield is still carrying those worn out, useless strips of rubber. There’s one time we always remember to change our wipers – when it starts to rain. Unfortunately that’s the worst time to tackle such an easy job. The next 10 minutes of your time, outside in the dry, sunny weather, should be spent replacing your windshield wipers, so check out these easy steps.

The first step to replacing your windshield wipers is getting the old worn out wipers off. Be careful when removing them, the wiper arm is metal and your windshield is glass. One clumsy move and you could scratch or crack the windshield – not good. To remove the old wiper, pull the entire assembly away from the windshield, it will prop itself in the raised position. With one hand holding the wiper arm, use your other hand to depress the small tab on the underside of the wiper where it meets the metal arm. With the tab depressed you can slide the wiper off the arm by pulling the center toward the bottom of the wiper arm.

The metal windshield wiper arms that hold the wipers are spring loaded so that they keep your wipers pressed to the windshield in a storm. Unfortunately this means that without the soft wiper on the end, that metal arm can do some serious damage to your windshield!

Prevent the wiper arm from snapping back and hitting your windshield by carefully resting it against the windshield while you are getting your new wiper ready to install. Even if you just turn around to grab it, play it safe and “park” the arm in the down position.

Looking at the empty wiper arm and the new wiper, especially the attachment point, can be a little daunting. It can be hard to picture how it all goes back together. The key to getting it done quickly and easily is to line everything up before you start trying to click it all into place.

• Looking at the side of the wiper where it attaches to the metal arm, you’ll see that one end of the plastic clip is flat and the other has a curve across the top. Rotate the plastic clip until this curve is pointing toward the wiper blade.
• Now hold the wiper upside down next to the metal wiper arm, where you’ll see that the curve in the arm (hook shaped) matches the curved top of the plastic clip.

Now that you’ve lined everything up you can put it all together. There’s a trick to this part, too.

• With everything lined up, lower the wiper over the wiper arm, putting the arm between the sides of the wiper and with the open end of the “hook” facing the plastic clip.
• Move the hook over the plastic clip, then pull the wiper upward so that the clip’s rounded edge slides into the hook.
• Pull it tight so the assembly clicks into place.
• Carefully lower the wiper back to the windshield.
• Repeat the whole process for the other side and you’re done!

Brakes are pretty much the most important safety device on your car. If you’ve even partially lost your brakes in the past, you’ll remember the change of underwear that followed. Inspecting your brakes twice a year for wear and damage can protect you and your passengers while saving you money by catching any damage before it becomes too costly.

On many cars you can inspect the brakes without even removing the wheel. If your car has alloy wheels with spaces in the middle, you can get a proper assessment done by just peeping through the hole at the goodies. Whether you can peep through your wheel or you have to take the wheel off, be sure you have a clear view of the brake pads and the big shiny disc.

Let’s inspect the disc first. It should be shiny from the inside to the outer edge, and fairly uniform. Don’t worry if you can see slight lines in it, this is normal wear. However, if there are any rough spots or pronounced grooves in the disc, you should replace your brake discs. Brake discs should always be replaced in pairs so that your car’s driveability and safety are not compromised.

Now take a look at the pads. You’ll have to peek up to see them, but if you follow the surface of the disc to the top, you’ll see the outside pad touching the disc. If there is 1/8″ or less remaining on the pad, it’s time for new ones. That’s about the height of two pennies stacked. Don’t worry, brake pads are cheap and replacing your brake pads is a no-sweat job.

Finally, take a look at your brake lines. Rubber coated lines should be soft and supple, not cracked and rigid. If you see cracks in flexible brake lines they will need to be replaced. Also be sure to inspect the hard, metal lines. These can become corroded, especially in snowy regions where chemicals are used on the roads.

A clean windshield can be very important in terms of your safety. If you can’t see, you can’t drive! Or you shouldn’t be driving. Luckily, there’s no excuse for driving with a dirty windshield since your car came equipped with its own cleaning system. All you have to do is keep the bottle full and pull the little lever inside the car.

Summer and Winter
A clean windshield is important all year long, but as long as you use real windshield washer fluid (come on, it’s cheaper than bottled water!) you have a built-in anti-icing system, too. Washer fluid doesn’t freeze, so if you spray it onto your windshield when you have some freezing problems, it helps to break down the frozen layer.

Fill It Up
It’s a one-step deal. With your hood open and safely propped, look for the opaque white plastic bottle with the picture of the windshield and wipers on the cap, which is usually blue. Pop it open or unscrew it, and fill ‘er up! You don’t have to be scientific about it, putting too much in won’t hurt anything. Done!

Checking your car’s oil level is the single most important thing you can do to extend the life of your car’s engine. In the time it takes to snap into a Slim-Jim, you can use a dipstick. Oil is the life blood of your car. Without it, you wouldn’t make it three miles. Follow these quick steps and you’ll have one biggie checked off your car’s regular maintenance list.

First, make sure you park your car on level ground. You don’t want all the oil sloshing to the back while you’re checking the dipstick at the front. The dipstick is a long rod that goes deep into your engine to check the oil level. It’s usually easy to get to, and should have an orange handle. Most also say OIL on them (or OEL if your car speaks German). Also be sure to park someplace well lit. The pump are of large fueling stations usually have enough light to keep a stadium lit. You don’t want to spend 10 minutes stabbing your engine over and over with the dipstick because you can’t find the hole, trust me. If it’s possible to wait a few minutes for the oil to settle, do it. If you can’t it’s not a huge issue, you’ll still get a fairly accurate reading. With the hood safely propped, pull the dipstick out and wipe the end clean with a towel or rag. Re-insert the dipstick into the engine, making sure it goes all the way in. Now pull it out, but don’t turn it upside down to look at it, this makes the oil run upward and ruins your reading. The dipstick will have two marks at the bottom. They are usually either lines or holes in the stick. The oil level can be read by looking to see where the oily part ends and the dry part begins. If it’s between the two marks, you’re good to go. If it’s below the bottom mark, you need to add a quart of oil. Never add more than a quart at once without driving and taking a new reading of the oil level. Overfilling the engine can be messy.

Things To Remember

• Park on level ground.
• Be sure area is well lit.
• Don’t add more than a quart of oil at once.

That’s it! Five minutes of your time and you’re a hero to your happy car. Check your oil as often as you like. Once a month or so is good for a car in decent shape.

You should never let anything come between your car and a good battery connection. If you want the day to come to a grinding halt in a hurry, driving with corroded battery posts is the way to do it. It takes only a millimeter of crunchy white residue to keep your car from starting.

Your car’s battery is the starting point (no pun intended) for every system it uses. This is because it’s used to start the car! The conditions surrounding your battery posts create the perfect breeding ground for nasty corrosion, which will appear as white, crusty residue around the battery posts. As the corrosion builds up, it becomes harder for your car to connect strongly with the battery. That’s why we need to get rid of it.

There are scores of products out there to clean your battery and help keep it that way. Here you’ll find a couple of them, but the idea is pretty much the same regardless of your method – get ‘em clean.

The first step toward a clean battery is the removal of your battery terminals. You can’t wash your feet with your shoes on, and you can’t properly clean a battery post with the cables connected.

You’ll need one or two wrenches depending on your setup. Look at the terminal, it should have a nut on one side with the other side being either another nut, or a big square. If it’s a big square, you’ll only need one wrench. If it’s another nut, grab two. You can use open end wrenches or something more universal like pliers or a small Crescent wrench. It’s always best to use a properly sized tool if it’s available, but since we’re not race car mechanics, sometimes we just have to make it happen.

You should always remove the negative cable first. Place one wrench on the outside nut and (if needed) the other wrench on the other side. Turn the outside nut counterclockwise until you’re looking at 1/16-inch or so of unscrewed space on the bolt. If you’re lucky, a slight twist will pull it right off. If not, read on for removal tips.

If your terminal seems pretty stuck, take a flat head screwdriver and gently pry the terminal open by inserting it in the gap above the bolt. Don’t try to pry the terminal upward off the post. You could pull the post out with dire consequences. If it’s still stubborn, give it some serious twisting strength, even using some large pliers to give it a twist. This should loosen it up.

Now that you’re looking at just the battery and terminals, you can clean them up.

There are a number of ways to get the corrosion off your battery posts. Folklore will tell you that you can pour Coca-Cola over your battery to remove the white stuff. This actually does work, but unless you’re cleaning your battery posts on a deserted island with nothing but a supply of Coke, I’d go with a more modern (and clean) method.

Your auto parts store will have a few choices of corrosion removal fluids, and they are all pretty much the same. The Victor kit shown came with a little brush, but it was quite little.

With your battery terminals off, squirt the solution on the battery posts and terminals, especially the inside. If you have the little brush, you can “brush away stubborn build-up.” It will start to foam, and let it do this for a few minutes, then rinse it off with a little water. Now install anti-corrosion discs if you’re using them (see next step), re-install your terminals, positive side first, and you’re back in business!

* A little note for the very money-conscious: these corrosion eating fluids are nothing but baking soda and water, so feel free to make your own!

I prefer the tried and true elbow grease method of cleaning your battery connections, which we’ll discuss next.

The tried and true way to get your battery posts and terminals clean involves a wire brush and a little elbow grease. You’ll need a medium-stiffness wire brush. If you can bend the bristles back and forth easily, that’s medium enough. You should also wear eye protection, and maybe even a dust mask. Brushing corrosion sometimes causes it to fly around.

With the terminals off the battery posts, liberally brush all of the parts, especially the inside of the terminals, until the corrosion is gone and you are looking at clean metal. A toothbrush-sized brush makes it easier to get to the inside part.

Once they’re clean, install anti-corrosion discs if you’re using them, re-install the terminals, positive side first, and you’re good to go!

Once you’ve cleaned your battery posts and terminals, you want them to stay that way. Some people swear by these little furry terminal protectors for keeping the corrosion away. I’ve tried them and, to my surprise, they seemed to work to some degree. I still saw corrosion on cars that were prone to it, so don’t rely on them entirely.

Using the discs is pretty self-explanatory. With the terminals removed, simply add the discs, installing the red disc on the positive post and the green on the negative.

Now re-install your battery terminals, positive first, and you’re all set.