KENNEWICK, Wash. –
Old man winter has arrived, and storms are hitting the Pacific Northwest hard.Throughout the next few months, whether you’re driving across town or driving over the pass, you may see some challenges.One of the biggest mistakes many people do is not preparing themselves before the winter.With winter in full swing, there are a few things you should be checking to make sure you’re not stranded on the side of the road.”Extreme temperatures, hot or cold will take car components out, electrical components, batteries, and pretty much anything,” said Ben Gatewood the owner of Meyers Auto Tech.Gatewood goes on to say that keeping up on making sure you have the proper fluids in your car and that they are at the right levels is going to be the biggest thing to making sure your car stays running in these cold months.”Coolant, antifreeze you definitely want to check it when the car is cold. The coolant gets up to 190 to 200 degrees and that could burn you so just be very aware of that,” said Gatewood.You also want to make sure that your tires have good tread and traction. Gatewood says a good all-season tire is a good alternative to snow tires.Gatewood says “All the little grooves help the tread spread open and basically grip the roads better.”According to Firestone Complete Auto Care and Smart Motors Toyota in Madison, Wisconsin, it turns out that warming a gas-powered car before driving in cold weather can actually cause damage to the engine.The report goes on to say that most vehicles built after 1980 no longer need to warm up before driving.When it comes to making sure your vehicle is ready to brace against the cold, think about it like this: It’s better to spend a little now to save a lot more down the road.
