I don’t know about you, but I can SMELL winter in the air. We’ve had some pretty wild weather the past month or so. It’s hot, it’s cold. It’s yes, it’s no. It’s basically a Katy Perry song out there. BUT, the last few days of brisk weather have me CONVINCED winter is coming. So what do you need to do to ensure that your car is ready to survive this winter? I’m glad you asked. We have a list of suggested tasks to make sure that when winter comes knocking you will be ready to answer!

1. Lighting

   1. Winter is, by nature a much darker time of year. The sun goes down earlier and there is less daylight so if a bulb is out, fix it before winter starts. Once winter starts if there’s snow covering any exterior light, make sure you remove it before setting off to drive anywhere. If your headlights are foggy or yellow, consider replacing them or look into an easy restoration kit.

2. Battery

   1. Have a volt test performed on your battery before winter starts to make sure it’s still in good working order. Cold weather means your car battery has to work that much harder just to get going. So, if it isn’t in working order, buy a new battery as soon as possible so you’ll never have to worry about being stranded or left in a cold parking lot with a car that won’t start.

3. Coolant

   1. Make sure your car isn’t low on coolant and that there aren’t any leaks in your vehicle’s engine that could cause coolant to drain out. Many mechanics recommend drivers use a 50/50-mix of coolant and water in their radiators, which usually results in a lower engine freezing point than just coolant.

4. Tires/ Tire Pressure

   1. All-Weather Tires are great, but Winter tires are more capable of staying flexible at low temperatures. This means that they can provide improved traction when you’re trying to stop and turn on cold pavement, even if there’s no snow on the ground. In addition, make sure to check your tire pressure and tread regularly to ensure that your vehicle stands the best chance of staying safe out in slick weather.

5. Defroster and Climate Control

   1. The climate control system will help keep you warm in the winter (and can help keep your windows from fogging up), while the defroster will keep your windows from icing up. Both items are crucial to maintaining comfort and safety throughout the winter.

To ensure that your vehicle is in top condition, stop by our Destination Nissan service center and we’ll make sure to go through your vehicle thoroughly so that even mother nature can’t hold you back from having a fun and safe winter in your Nissan!