Winter is Coming: How do you prep your vehicle?

Although Orange County, California, rejoices in snowless winters that are relatively mild compared to the rest of the country, the weather does turn cold, with more inches of rain than at any other time of year. You and your passengers can stay comfortable and cozy on your road trips if you take the following steps to prep your vehicle.

Start with fluid levels.

As in any other season, check the levels of fluids such as engine oil, transmission fluid, coolant, brake fluid, and windshield washer fluid. These liquids ensure that your car runs smoothly, so be sure to replenish any that have gone down. Check your owner’s manual if you don’t know how to look at these levels.

Inspect lights.

With the shorter daylight hours, longer nights, and inclement weather darkening the skies, your lights will get more use in the winter than at any other time of year. Have a friend sit in the driver’s seat to activate the headlamps, fog lights, turn signals, and brake lights while you walk around your car to see that all the lights are working. If you have any burned-out bulbs, you may be able to replace them yourself by checking the instructions in your owner’s manual.

Change worn wiper blades.

You should change your wiper blades every six to 12 months or when they leave streaks on the glass or fail to clear the view of rain. When you buy replacements at your auto parts store, you’ll need the year, make, model, and trim of your car. Instructions for replacing your wiper blades are given on the blade packaging or in your owner’s manual.

Check the tires.

Good tires can protect you from skidding on slippery roads, maximize braking pressure, and optimize fuel economy when they’re inflated to the correct pressure. To find out if you have adequate tread depth, insert a penny into the tire tread with Lincoln’s head upside down. If you can see the top of his head, the tread is no longer deep enough, and you must replace your tires.

As for air pressure, most modern vehicles can signal if a tire doesn’t have enough air through an indicator on the Driver Information Center. If your vehicle does not have this feature, check the air manually using a tire pressure gauge from your auto store.

Create an emergency kit.

If you encounter rough weather, a mechanical problem, or a traffic emergency that forces you to wait in your vehicle while help arrives, an emergency kit can help keep you safe and comfortable. Among the items you need are a first aid kit, flashlight, cold weather clothing, a portable phone charger, and some water and non-perishable snacks. If you put these supplies in a backpack, you can take it with you if you have to leave your car.

Visit your service center.

If you don’t have time or inclination to perform these tasks or you need more extensive checking and adjustments, take your vehicle to the service center of a dealer at the Beach Boulevard of Cars in Huntington Beach. A factory-certified automotive tech can prep your vehicle more thoroughly while completing all these tasks, except for creating an emergency kit.