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Is your vehicle up for this?

Local auto pros give winter car care tips

Haley Gustafson | Daily Press Snow falls as cars travel with caution down Ludington Street in Escanaba during a winter storm last week. According to local automotive experts, keeping vehicles maintained during the winter months is important to keeping them running — especially through snow and cold temperatures.

ESCANABA — During the cold, ice, and snow that is an Upper Peninsula winter, maintaining a healthy vehicle is crucial to being able to do the day-to-day activities. In order to do so, local auto shops around the area have provided some tips on how to keep vehicles protected and running smoothly.

According to Tom Jean, owner of TJ’s Auto Spa in Escanaba, having a vehicle regularly detailed and cleaned can help reduce the chances of rust formation. Salt from the roads can cause build-up, noted Jean, and by eliminating the salty residue it can also reduce rust.

TJ’s Auto Spa specializes in car detailing the inside and outside of vehicles, including underneath the vehicle where most of the snow and salt build-up occurs, said Jean.

“Having a good coat of wax is a good way to protect your vehicle,” he said, noting not only is it important to wash the outside of the vehicle but also it’s interior.

Interior shampooing can eliminate salt build-up on the car’s carpeting, which in turn makes the carpet like new. Reducing the salt residue will keep the carpet from drying up or causing further damage, said Jean.

“It will defiantly help,” he said.

Paul Savard, manager at Advanced Tech Services Center in Escanaba, said checking the strength of the car’s battery is one way to keep a vehicle firing up every morning, regardless of the temperature outside.

Savard said if the battery is more than four years old, it should be tested to make sure it can withstand the sub-zero temperatures that can occur in the winter.

Without a garage or some sort of shelter to place the vehicle in, it’s hard to keep a vehicle from not starting in frigid temperatures, said Savard, but testing the battery is the best way to make sure the vehicle is running efficiently.

Savard also recommends motorists letting their vehicles warm-up before driving.

“Let it warm-up for at least five minutes prior to taking off,” Savard noted, adding checking fluids such as anti-freeze and window washer fluid is also a step people should do to make sure they can travel safely.

“You want to make sure your window wash is strong,” said Savard.

The National Car Care Council also recommends the following steps for winterizing your vehicle:

– If you’re due for a tune-up, have it done before winter sets in. Winter magnifies existing problems such as pings, hard starts, sluggish performance or rough idling.

– Have the battery and charging system checked for optimum performance. Cold weather is hard on batteries.

– Clean, flush and put new antifreeze in the cooling system. As a general rule of thumb, this should be done every two years.

– Make sure heaters, defrosters and wipers work properly. Consider winter wiper blades and use cold weather washer fluid. As a general rule, wiper blades should be replaced every six months.

– Check the tire tread depth and tire pressure. If snow and ice are a problem in your area, consider special tires designed to grip slick roads. During winter, tire pressure should be checked weekly.

– Have the brakes checked. The braking system is the vehicle’s most important safety item.

– Have the exhaust system checked for carbon monoxide leaks, which can be especially dangerous during cold weather driving when windows are closed.

– Check to see that exterior and interior lights work and headlights are properly aimed.

– Be diligent about changing the oil and filter at recommended intervals. Dirty oil can spell trouble in winter. Consider changing to “winter weight” oil if you live in a cold climate. Have your technician check the fuel, air and transmission filters at the same time.

Motorists should also keep the gas tank at least half full at all times to decrease the chances of moisture forming in the gas lines and possibly freezing. Drivers should check the tire pressure of the spare in the trunk and stock an emergency kit with an ice scraper and snowbrush, jumper cables, flashlight, flares, blanket, extra clothes, candles/matches, bottled water, dry food snacks and needed medication.

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