Winter is fast approaching, and with it, its snowy landscapes, its immaculate expanses of white, as far as the eye can see, its snowmen… but also the many failures it causes in our cars, and that’s less pleasant. But don’t be scared, in this article we will tell you about 3 key elements of your vehicle (whose importance is sometimes unsuspected) that you must maintain to guarantee optimal operation during the winter season.
Winter maintenance of your car is not as difficult as it seems and, without being a professional mechanic, you can easily get by with the right information, the right tools and the right gestures.
Vehicle maintenance. source: spm
What are the 3 elements of your car to maintain in winter?
Some failures must be monitored to avoid serious consequences in some cases.
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The seals of your car: why and how to maintain them?
It is important to periodically check the wear of the joints in your car, especially in winter. Present in the passenger compartment and in the engine, their role is essential for the proper functioning of your car and your comfort during trips. The door seals on your vehicle are designed to create a seal between the interior and exterior when the doors are closed. Made of flexible rubber, they are fixed to the door frame of your car with adhesive and like a shield, they prevent the entry of water, wind, humidity or noise. In short, thermal and acoustic insulation.
However, going from a hot summer, to a cool autumn and then to a cold winter, over the years, joints dry out, lose their flexibility and become brittle, thus compromising the sealing of your car which then becomes vulnerable to elements such as wind, rain, snow and dust which can then infiltrate; which could make your travels a little less pleasant.
To check for wear, you should first visually inspect the seals and look for signs of cracks or damage. Once wear is noticed, it is important to lubricate them to prevent further damage. You can use a variety of lubricants, preferably those recommended for the specific make and model of your car. In addition, you should also make sure that you apply the lubricant evenly and carefully for complete seal maintenance and better protection against the cold. This will ensure that your doors stay in good shape through the winter months and beyond, and save you sometimes very expensive repairs.
Open the hood of the car. source: spm
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The lock on the hood of your car: avoid danger
If it seems natural to you to open and close the hood of your car at will throughout the year, in winter, that’s another story. Blocked hoods from the cold are quite common and if you’ve been lucky enough to escape them so far, a quick tour of the automotive forums will convince you of the importance that should be given to this “little piece”, but no less. . important for your car body. Car en effet, le bonnet moteur, de par sa position et son rôle qui consist à protéger le moteur et les éléments essentiels qui l’entourent, doit rester constantly en état de bon fonctionnement pour vous permettre d’effectuer vos contrôles et vérications chaque fois that you want it. During very cold days, it is not uncommon to see animals sheltering under cars or directly inside the engine compartment to take advantage of the heat. Therefore, it is recommended to inspect your vehicle every morning before starting it, But one of the biggest risks with the hood latch is if the latches open unexpectedly while you are driving, obstructing your vision, or the hood comes off, potentially leading to an accident. You can easily avoid these inconveniences by regular maintenance with lithium lubricant.
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Close your car door. Beware of frost
Doors impossible to open in the morning after a frosty night? This is a scenario that motorists would be happy to do without. While in most cases this is caused by frozen door seals from a car parked in an open space, stuck doors can also be caused by your car lock freezing. Your responsibility is therefore to prevent frost from forming on your lock, but also to make sure that dirt does not settle there. For a preventive treatment, several methods are available, such as the use of white anti-dirty lubricant, the spraying of compressed air to evacuate moistureor the installation of a magnet in the lock to prevent the entry of frost.
Winter is undoubtedly the toughest season for cars, but if you take the lead, you can avoid a lot of inconvenience for your car and your wallet. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure.
read also How to prevent frost on car windows?
