Winter driving preparing your vehicle · Preparing your vehicle in Winter driving
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Preparing your vehicle in Winter driving
Preparing your vehicle in Winter driving
Check anti-freeze (coolant) levels, and have it changed every two to four years (depending on type used).
Make sure brakes and ABS system are in good condition.
Check heater and defroster and make sure they heat with no smell.
Check condition of the tires and their pressure. Don't forget the spare tire and jack.
Check that the tires (if not relying on chains/cables) are proper winter tires, and not just "all-weather" tires. Although these satisfty the legal requirements in some countries, they leave much to be desired for.
A vehicle's battery can't work as well in cold weather. Have it replaced if it's near or over the pro-rated warranty period. On an older vehicle, check the belts, and an alternator test is also a good idea. Fill an older, unsealed battery with distilled water (but don't overfill).
Replace worn wiper blades and top off washer fluid. Don't use plain water as it will freeze. On the other hand, antifreeze intended for the radiator may damage your vehicle's paint. Look for the winter-type washer fluid at auto parts stores which has a freezing point of about -20F/-30C. Even though it's on the other side of the windshield, using the defroster also helps prevent the washer fluid from freezing.
Studded snow tires are good for winter driving conditions, though a few U.S. states prohibit them (except, perhaps, for out-of-state vehicles just passing through). On the other hand, in Sweden it's illegal to drive without proper winter tires in the winter, they don't have to be studded though. The tread depth must be at least 6/32" or 5 mm (or whatever local law requires), which is several times deeper than for regular tires wearing out. If you live in an area where it doesn't normally snow, it's probably not worth the time and expense.
Especially without snow tires, always bring tire chains or cable chains. Tire chains give better traction, but are more difficult to install and remove. Know your tire size (e.g. P195/60R-15) before purchasing. When needed, install on the drive wheels (i.e. front for front-wheel-drive, rear for rear-wheel-drive). If unsure about drive wheels, every rear-wheel-drive vehicle has a black sphere-shaped thing (the differential) on its rear axle between the tires. Note that 4WD/All-WD vehicles will have one there also. For 4WD/All-WD usually the front is best, but check owner's manual. Only use chains in snow or icy conditions, and remove them as soon as they're no longer needed. Don't even try them on for size on a hard, bare surface such as concrete. They might spin out and damage the chains, concrete, and/or wheel well of the vehicle, and possibly injure someone.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Winter driving
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Winter driving - updated May 2024
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WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
Winter driving Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.