Tips For Maintaining Your Car In The Cold
With winter in midseason form and January on record as one of the coldest months in Maine’s history, Mainer’s have to do all that they can to keep themselves and their cars operating in tiptop condition.
With greater Portland averaging a daily temperature of 17.5 degrees for the month of January, Southern Maine felt the cooling effects of Mother Nature. But as with winter, the further north one goes, the colder it gets.
In Bangor, the average temperature for the month of January was a mere 10.1 degrees, approximately 8 degrees below normal, and in Northern Maine, Caribou's temperature averaged just 2.5 degrees, or 7 degrees below normal. And, on top of that, 18 of January’s 31 days failed to exceed zero in Bangor.
In accord to the frigid temperatures, we would like to offer our fellow Mainers the following tips on how to maintain your car in a cold Maine winter. With hope your vehicle will fire up the start of your day, every day:
- Have a well charged battery. A good battery typically last five years.
- Get a proper oil change. Oil tends to thicken as it gets colder, and if it’s too thick then it won’t do a proper job lubricating your engine.
- Use the proper mix of antifreeze and water (about 50/50) to prevent freezing inside your radiator. A simple and easy to use antifreeze tester can be purchased at most auto parts store.
- Keep the fuel tank no less than halfway full at all times.
- Let your car warm up before driving, but not in the garage (to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning).
- If your car doesn’t start, do not pump the gas pedal, doing so runs the risk of flooding and allows gas to get in the oil, which can cause significant damage. Instead, be sure to turn off everything in the car, such as radios, fans, and lights, which all drain power.
- And remember, anytime is a good time to have your car serviced in the winter. Having your radiator, hoses, spark plugs, and thermostat checked can only help your vehicle in the long run.
By being conscious of these easy-to-follow winter car maintenance tips, both you and your car will have a more enjoyable winter. And by maintaining your car and driving safely, it will help maintain you.
Happy Winter Fellow Mainers! We’re Just About Halfway Home!
