Essential winter checklist
This year we have seen very cold weather conditions, therefore we have put together a quick winter checklist, which will help drivers stay safe and drive safely in these conditions.
Antifreeze: Check the coolant level and, if required, top-up with a mixture of the correct type of antifreeze. Many local garages do a winter check, to make sure the levels are correct.
Battery: The most common cause of winter breakdowns is battery failure. If the battery is quite old, for example older than 5 years it may struggle to start, so get it replaced to avoid any failures
Fuel: check the fuel levels before traveling, because you can breakdown or get stuck at anytime driving in cold weathers e.g. in snow, keep at least a quarter of a tank in case of unexpected delay.
Lights: Check and clean all lights regularly and make sure they are all working correctly
Tyres: You should have at least 3mm of tread for when driving in winter, winter tyres can come in handy for better safety and drivability.
Windscreen: make sure the screen is clean and the wiper blades are replaced if needed.
Screen wash: Use a 50% mix of a good quality screen wash, which will help reduce the chances of freezing.
Locks and door seals: Stop doors freezing shut with a thin coat of polish or Vaseline on rubber door seals. A squirt of water dispersant (WD-40) in locks will also help stop them from freezing.
You may also consider having a winter emergency kit:
- Blanket, rug or sleeping bag – to help keep you warm in case of breakdown, and the recovery service is delayed
- Shovel – if you are stuck in the snow, and no one can tow your vehicle out, you can use the shovel to remove snow away from the tyres and if you bits of carpet or thick cardboard to place under driven wheels to help regain traction on ice or snow
- Salt, sand or cat litter – to help clear snow and ice
- Reflective jacket(s) – if the vehicle breaks-down, it is always good to stay visible in these conditions, so by passers can see where the passengers are
- Ice scraper and de-icer
- Torch and batteries
- Tow rope
- Snow chains (if you live in a remote or rural area)
- Battery jump leads
- Bottled water
- Snacks – chocolate or cereal bars
- Extra screen wash
This article is bought to you by My Car Check. My Car Check is a vehicle check website, which provides information about a vehicle, for example, if it was stolen, written off or still on finance.
