1. Turn your windscreen wipers to the off position when you park at night. That way, when you start the engine in the morning, the wipers won’t start automatically. If there’s a heavy frost or snow you’re at risk of blowing a fuse, damaging the wiper blades or worst case, burning out the wiper motor.
2. Don’t pour boiling water on your windscreen when it’s frozen. The shock created when the hot water hits the cold glass could crack the whole thing. An unnecessary expense, which could be avoided.
3. If you do have to make a long journey when it’s snowy, take items such as drinking water, a blanket, torch, de-icer, a first aid kit and a mobile phone charger – and of course don’t forget your phone – just in case of emergency!
4. Make sure your tyres are the right pressure with more than just the minimum amount of tread left. Both are vital to ensure you remain in control of your vehicle when it’s either icy or wet. Alternatively, consider having winter tyres fitted which give a much better grip in cold conditions.
5. Do check your vehicle’s fluid levels are topped-up such as windscreen washer and engine oil before setting out on long journeys. You can check your anti-freeze level, but remember it also needs to be the right strength, so don’t just top up with water. If in doubt, pop in and see us.
6. Check your brake lights, headlights and fog lights are all working as you may find yourself driving unexpectedly in weather with low light levels, such as fog or snow.
7. Do make sure you have sufficient fuel in your car both for your outbound and return journey in case you should get stuck in heavy traffic, perhaps due to bad weather.
8. If conditions are icy, select 2nd gear before you pull away, this will make the engine run slower giving more grip to the tyres.
9. If in doubt, book in for one of our Winter Safety Checks. Choose from the FREE six point visual only check or the 30 point check with wash and vac and Winter Care Kit (worth over £10) for £25. Combine the Winter Check with a service or MOT and get it for 1/2 price!
