It may seem like just yesterday that we were celebrating the Fourth of July, but it’s true—colder weather is just around the corner at the end of this most unusual year. You probably have a whole host of issues around the house that you need to deal with as the weather turns, such as getting your HVAC and water systems in order. However, one thing you should be sure not to neglect is the health and maintenance of your car.
You rely on your vehicle to get you and your loved ones around town, so it’s important to make sure you’re taking the time to keep it running smoothly no matter the conditions outdoors. And if you ever think it would benefit from a set of professional eyes, Madison Muffler & Auto Repair is proud to be your honest automotive repair shop in Madison, TN.
Here are some tips to ensure your car is ready to brave the winter:
- Check your battery: You don’t truly know how much you rely on your battery until that day when it lets you down. There’s no worse feeling than when your car won’t start and you know that the battery is the culprit. To ensure it’s in good shape, you should first run a battery load test to see if your battery has the power to consistently power your car throughout the winter. You should also do a visual inspection of the entire battery—start by looking for cracks around the battery cables and the terminals, and verify that the fluid is filled all the way to the top.
- Fill the wiper fluid: Wiper fluid goes fast in the wintertime—the junk from the road and the ice that frequently covers your windshield all mean that you’ll be using your wiper fluid more and more. Make sure it’s topped off so you don’t find yourself wishing you’d done so when the weather gets rough.
- Replace your wiper blades: Along similar lines, you’ll want to start the winter with fresh wiper blades. Any honest automotive repair shop in Madison, TN will be able to replace them for you, but it’s also a pretty easy DIY job. It can be helpful to have new wiper blades on the car when you know they’ll take a beating from ice, snow and road salt.
- Assemble an emergency kit: Winter is no time to have a car that isn’t prepared for every contingency. For that reason, we recommend that you have an emergency kit in your car to prepare for the worst. This should include blankets, flares, a jack, a first-aid kit, food, a shovel, and kitty litter or sand, which will come in handy if you find that your car is stuck in adverse weather conditions like snow or ice.
If you want a professional technician to take a look at your car before the weather changes, call Madison Muffler & Auto Repair today. Working with an honest automotive repair shop in Madison, TN can help mitigate any of the ill effects of winter. We have the expertise to identify and fix any lingering issues that could get worse as it gets chillier outside!