| AudiInProgress |
I can't believe how many people (not just on this forum) have complained to me about their vehicles not starting... You live in Alberta, FFS, it's like minus 51 degrees celcius outside. What do you expect?
And since somebody else almost undoubtedly has said it better than me before, I'm going to quote someone elses winter driving tips, feel free to add to the list as you see fit.
Be prepared for the unexpected emergency!
Always carry the following;
Map
First-Aid Kit
Ice Scraper/Snow Brush
Matches/Candles
Flashlight
Warning Triangles/Flares
Tow/Jumper Cables
Folding Shovel
Bag of Sand
Winter Gloves
Cell phone (if you have one)
Emergency HELP Sign (for back window)
A blanket is a good idea - just in case. If you have any winter clothes you don't wear anymore, especially an old pair of boots, throw them in the trunk, too.
Keep all your car's windows, mirrors and lights clear of snow and ice.
Always keep the air intake grill free of snow and ice.
Take an extra minute to clear all the snow and ice from your car. This will help avoid sheets of ice flying off the car and hitting the car behind you. Check that headlamps, turn signals, and tail lights are unobstructed by snow and ice.
Clear off the entire car, not just a little peephole in the windshield. First of all, you need just as much, if not more, visibility in poor conditions, because you have to keep your eye peeled for every other knucklehead on the road. Make sure every glass surface is clear and transparent by using a snow brush and/or ice scraper. Your side view mirrors and all lights should be brushed and cleared as well.
Install snow tires on all four wheels. Never mix radial tires with other tire types.
Add gas line anti-freeze to the fuel-tank when refueling in extremely cold weather.
Get ready for harsh winter driving weather:
Keep gas tank always over half full.
In the winter, if you do get stuck or stranded, the engine will be your only source of heat. And you don't want to have to worry about conserving fuel and saving the planet right at that moment... You want to stay warm. (And make sure you keep a window open a crack if you're sitting there with the engine running.)
The other reason for a full tank is that warm daytime temperatures will fill the empty space in the tank with moisture, which will condense during the cold night. This water will sink to the bottom and, sooner or later, rust out your tank.
Make sure your windshield wipers are in good shape.
Winter wipers - with the rubber coverings that keep ice from collecting on the blade - have become very popular. They're great in the winter, but make sure you take them off in the spring. Winter wipers are heavy, and if you use them all summer, you'll eventually wear out the wiper motor.
Check windshield washer fluid level.
On a snowy or messy day, you can easily go through two or three litres of fluid trying to keep your windshield clear. For that reason, it's also a good idea to keep some extra fluid in the trunk in case you run out. And make sure you get the good stuff - stay away from the half-frozen blue stuff outside your local gas station! Even though it may say "Good to Minus 30!" some of these cheap blue fluids freeze around zero degrees. If you live in a very cold area, you also may need to supplement your windshield washer fluid with some concentrate.
Check engine oil, especially before long trips. Note that cars use more oil in the winter and as such check the oil level more often than you do in the summer. Use winter weight oil (5W-30).
Keep battery terminals clean, tight, free of corrosion and dry.
Check tire pressure, tire condition, and spare tire pressure regularly. Tires lose on the average 1 pound per month through normal leakage.
If you are driving on all weather tires... Reduce the tire pressure by 2 psi during the winter months... This will provide a little extra
traction and reduce stopping distance... But it will also lower your mileage.
Check the battery, charging system, and belts. If you find that you need a new battery, get the biggest, meanest, ugliest battery that will fit in your car. Two things to remember about batteries:
First, the battery that started your car easily in the summer may not have enough oomph to do it in winter, when the oil isn't as "fluid" as it was last July. And secondly, batteries lose power as the temperature drops. So, not only do you need MORE power to start the car in winter, you also get LESS power from the same battery.
Check coolant level and mixture
Make certain the antifreeze will protect your car to the winter temperatures you'll experience in your area.
By the way, this is very important. If the stuff freezes, it expands, and it's bye-bye engine block.
If your coolant hasn't been changed in several years, get the cooling system flushed. The rust inhibitors in antifreeze break down over time and need to be renewed every two years. Plus, draining out the coolant and refilling the system removes dirt and rust particles that can clog up the cooling system and cause problems in winter and summer. |
|
|
| sparkycivic |
add this to the list:
Check the transmission oil for signs of pollution/excess viscosity: My Subaru's manual tranny just piled-up driving down castledowns road this morning, and I think it's because the oil was too thick and wasn't touching any moving parts because it was all stuck to the sides. It was making a light whining noise in 5th gear on Anthony Henday Drive last night on the way home, which got louder if I was accelerating or decelerating, but was silent while coasting. |
|
|
| EK9Hatch |
Rob, Spring is coming in two weeks.
Jamie |
|
|
| little_one_der |
BWA-HA-HA-HA:lol:
True. |
|
|
| Twigs_Dee |
| Spring is almost here?! What the hell is Spring? That rainy +30 weather in July for a month before the cold comes back? :lol: |
|
|
| onestepback |
I'd like to add something to the list.
I keep a couple granola bars in my car along with the previously mentioned stuff. Never know when you are stuck in the middle of nowhere and you have to wait a while. :dunno: |
|
|
| Flip |
| Also, a ball peen hammer, crescent wrench, multi screw-driver, pliers and some tie straps, pocket knife, come in handy. Tie straps can come in handy, whether its holding up the exhaust that got ripped off by a snow bank to holding the door closed that is frozen. There are also cranklight flashlights that can charge your cellphone, kinda convenient. |
|
|
| midnite |
I have a nice set of battery heated winter mits (25$), and a portable air compressor (10$) (that saved a corolla owner from some headache at the meet last friday).
A decent sized folding or fixed blade knife, and a couple pairs of sunglasses so I don't get snow blindness on longer drives.
Also, a 6 pack of water in the trunk that I can melt if I get thirsty. Chocolate is a nice item to stash in your glove box in case you are stuck in a ditch.. and a pack of playing cards. :D |
|
|
| kevito_ |
| Make sure you don't have any water in your brake lines and that the fluid is high quality and clean... my friend just busted a line because his fluid froze. |
|
|
|
