Winter Car Care Tips for St. Louis Drivers

When the temperatures drop and winter weather hits the St. Louis, Missouri, area, it’s time to winterize your vehicle for optimum safety and performance. Taking the time to prepare your truck, SUV, or car for inclement weather can help give you peace of mind and keep you safe when driving during the winter. Our team at AutoCenters Herculaneum has put together this handy guide of winter care tips for St. Louis motorists to ensure your and your family’s safety during the winter months.

Have Quality Wiper Blades

You may not realize how important it is to have good wiper blades until you really need them to see clearly out the windshield. Check the blades for cracks or rips in the rubber and replace them if necessary. Consider putting on heavy-duty winter windshield wipers designed to clear large amounts of snow. In addition, make sure your front and rear windshield and window defrosters work in optimum condition.

Fill Your Windshield Washer Reservoir

If you drive through a storm, especially a dirty snowstorm, you can go through a lot of windshield washer fluid. Just like having winter wiper blades, the windshield washer fluid adds an extra level of visibility. Find winter-grade washer fluid with a de-icing compound to help keep your windshield clean through the worst winter storms.

Check or Replace Your Tires

Wet, icy, and snowy roads can reduce tire traction and increase the chance of running off the road or skidding. Bring your vehicle into the tire shop and have its tires inspected for tread depth and overall wear and tear. If the tires are showing signs of aging, have them replaced. Make sure you properly inflate the tires to the correct pressure.

You can find the proper pressure, measured in pounds per square inch (PSI), in the vehicle’s owner’s manual or on the driver’s side door frame. This is the PSI you want to use for safe driving, not the number listed on the tires themselves. Tire pressure drops when the temperatures plummet, and you want them at the right PSI for optimum performance and safety. If you drive a lot in snowy or icy conditions, consider swapping out your warm-season tires for winter ones. These contain a special compound that increases traction on slick roads.

Have an Emergency Kit

You never know when you might get stuck in a winter storm. An emergency kit can help keep you comfortable or help get you unstuck in the snow. Items to keep in your vehicle include:

• First aid kit.
• Portable hand warmers.
• Snacks and water.
• Flashlight and batteries.
• Blankets.
• LED flares.
• Snow shovel.
• Ice scraper.
• Jumper cables.
• Portable battery charger.

Have a Good Battery

The battery in your vehicle starts the engine. You don’t want to come out from work or school on a cold evening only to find your battery doesn’t have enough power to start the car. The colder the temperature, the harder it becomes for the battery to crank over the engine. Have your mechanic check the fluid levels, voltage, amperage, and reserve capacity of your battery. If it’s not in top condition, consider replacing the battery.

Schedule a Maintenance Visit

You want your vehicle to be in top-notch shape before winter comes. Schedule a service appointment to have a tuneup, get winter-grade oil put in, and have the coolant levels checked. Coolant can expand when it freezes, causing damage to the vehicle’s engine block. You may need a different coolant ratio in the winter than you do in the summer.

Have your service technician check the level of the coolant, determine its pH, and drain and refill it before winter. In addition, make any necessary repairs to your vehicle before you drive in winter conditions in the St. Louis area.

Keep Your Gas Tank Full

If you get stuck in traffic because of a snowstorm or by sliding off the road, you’ll need to keep the engine running to stay warm. Running the engine uses gas, so you want to make sure you always keep your gas tank as full as possible. Consider having a subscription to a roadside assistance service that you can contact in case you run out of gas or experience a dead battery.

Have Chargers for Your Mobile Device

Charge your cell phone or tablet before you leave the house, and be sure to have chargers in the vehicle. Keep the devices fully charged. If you can’t run the engine to charge your cell phone and the battery in the device dies, you can’t make a phone call to get help and notify your family. Keeping a fully charged portable battery charger in your car for your cell phone can come in handy to recharge the device.

Adjust Your Driving Habits

When negotiating adverse conditions, such as poor visibility, slick roads, or slow traffic due to a storm, you want to adjust your driving habits. It’s wise to slow down, so you can stop easier, especially when visibility is low and you come across a stalled vehicle in front of you. In addition, take the time to warm up your vehicle, so the fluids can properly lubricate the powertrain and drivetrain. Consider getting a remote app for your vehicle, so you can start the car and warm it up from your warm home or office.

If you plan on going away in your vehicle this winter, whether for an exotic ski vacation or to see family over the holidays, you’ll want to prepare for your road trip, especially under adverse weather conditions.

To learn more tips on winterizing your vehicle in the St. Louis area, contact us at our dealership at AutoCenters Herculaneum today. We can give you further advice on the best tires, wiper blades, and items to stock in your emergency kit for the ultimate safety for winter driving in the St. Louis area. If you’re looking for a car, SUV, or truck to help you navigate wintery Missouri roads, our team can help you find the perfect vehicle.

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