It's Time to Winterize

Prepare Your Vehicle for Winter Weather

Service Area: South Bend, Mishawaka, Granger, Bremen, Bourbon, Nappanee Etc.

Every year when summer transitions to fall, auto service centers start talking about “winterization.” This topic covers all kinds of services, and every location’s definition of winterization is a little bit different.

What we all agree on is that colder temperatures are hard on vehicles and drivers.

Winterization prepares your vehicle to drive safely in the cold and take the holiday trips you’re looking forward to.

Winter Driving Safety

Colder temperatures bring hazardous driving conditions. Snow and ice create slippery surfaces that unprepared cars can’t handle. To avoid slipping, sliding, and putting yourself or others at risk, plan on winterizing your car as summer ends and cooler mornings and evenings become more frequent.

Holiday Trip Readiness

There’s no place like home for the holidays - if you can get back home, that is.

Big holidays are right around the corner. And so is threatening weather that can leave you stuck. Whether you’re traveling back home during a college break, to a relative’s house, or headed out on a holiday vacation - make sure you have a vehicle you can count on.

Steps to Winterizing Your Vehicle

Oil

Whether you’ve been driving as usual this year or working from home, you still need to get your oil changed at least twice a year. Your vehicle is meant to be started and driven.

If your oil sits, it can accumulate pollutants that need to be flushed during an oil change. Make sure to take care of your vehicle’s oil before you take a long trip.

Did You Know? Oil Isn’t the Only Important Fluid in Your Vehicle.

Other vital vehicle fluids include transmission, power steering, brake, coolant (see below), and more. If your car is a 4-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, front & rear differentials and a transfer case (some models, not all) your vehicle may have 8-10 other fluids that need periodic maintenance too!

Tires

Your tires are a top line of defense against slippery, hazardous winter road conditions. To prepare for winter, make sure your tires are rotated so the tires with the most tread are in the best location. During this process, you should check the tread on your tires as well.

Tires with poor tread don’t stop well in the best of conditions. In winter, bad tires can be the difference between staying on the road and winding up in a ditch. TMT offers a range of tire services, as well as great deals on new tires so your vehicle will be winter driving ready.

Coolant

Coolant keeps your vehicle working at a steady temperature. It prevents engine freeze-ups and allows you to trust that your car will start on a cold winter morning.

Coolant needs to be changed after your vehicle’s first 60,000 miles, and again every 30,000 miles after that.

During a routine vehicle inspection, we’ll analyze your coolant levels and quality to make sure your vehicle is prepared for the cold months ahead.

Winterization for Modern Vehicles

Most modern cars require an extra, critical step for winterization: Fuel System Cleaning.

Avoiding a fuel system cleanout hard on your sparks and slows your engine’s start time. Imagine a chimney that hasn’t been swept or plaque coated teeth in need of a dental cleaning -- dodging fuel system cleaning allows that kind of buildup to happen inside your car.

We recommend that you clean out your fuel system once per year, or every 15,000 miles. Cleaning out your fuel system before winter can improve your vehicle’s start speed.

This Winter You Can Drive with Confidence

Anytime after the summer heat subsides is a great time to take care of winterizing your vehicle. During your TMT appointment, we’ll analyze your entire vehicle’s health, take care of your winterization needs, and empower you to prep for your next preventative maintenance appointment. Book your winterization appointment at a TMT Automotive near you today.