Video and advice: Getting your car ready for winter

Dec 15, 2010 7:40 AM

Judging from the snow flakes and frost we’ve been experiencing, winter is almost upon us. Are you ready? Preparation involves more than stocking up on wood, oil, and mittens. It is important to get your car ready, so that it will be ready to brave the elements as the weather deteriorates.

Our friends at the Consumer Reports Home & Garden blog recently conducted a live Facebook video chat to discuss how to gear up for winter with our experts; the video here captures an 11-minute segment from that online event.

Jennifer Stockburger, a program leader in our Auto Test Center, presented a kit of all the things you should keep in you car in case of an emergency and provided essential winter survival tips to deal with break downs and getting stuck. She also talked about the best tires for winter driving. Finally, host Sue LaColla and Stockburger lifted the hood of one of our test cars to show the right way to use jumper cables.

Watch the video above to see Stockburger’s segment and learn more about choosing winter tires, replacing car batteries and windshield wipers and keeping fluids to the proper level.

Here are some additional tips to make sure you are ready for the snowy months ahead:

Clear off the snow and ice before driving. If snow has fallen since your car was parked, take the time to thoroughly brush it off the vehicle--including the roof--and scrape any ice from the windows.
Accelerate slowly to reduce wheel spin. If starting from a standstill on slick snow or ice, start in second gear so the vehicle is less likely to spin the tires.
Reduce your speed and drive smoothly. In slippery conditions, tires lose their grip more easily, affecting all aspects of your driving: accelerating, turning, and braking.
Allow longer braking distances. Start braking sooner than you normally would in dry conditions to give yourself extra room, and use more gentle pressure on the brake pedal.
Don't lock your wheels when braking. Locked wheels can make the vehicle slide or skid. If you have a vehicle without an antilock braking system (ABS), you may need to gently apply the brakes repeatedly to avoid having them lock up the wheels. If your vehicle has ABS, simply depress the brake pedal firmly and hold it down—the system will modulate the brakes to provide as brief stop while retaining some turning ability.
Perform one action at a time when accelerating, turning, and braking. Asking a vehicle to do two things at once--such as braking and turning, or accelerating and turning--can reduce your control. When approaching a turn, for instance, slowly apply the brakes while the vehicle is going straight.
Avoid sudden actions when cornering. A sudden maneuver--such as hard braking, a quick turn of the steering wheel, sudden acceleration, or shifting a manual transmission--can upset a vehicle's dynamics when it's taking a turn. In slick conditions, this can cause it to more easily go out of control.
Be ready to correct for a slide. Should the rear end of the vehicle begin to slide during a turn, gently let off on the accelerator and turn the steering wheel in the direction of the slide. This will help straighten it out.
Don't let four- or all-wheel drive give you a false sense of security. 4WD and AWD systems only provide extra traction when accelerating. They provide no advantage when braking or cornering. And use the above tips no matter what type of vehicle you're driving.
Be extra wary of other motorists. They may not be driving as cautiously as you. In winter conditions, their visibility may be compromised by fogged windows or ice, and their reaction times may be delayed. For more tips on winter driving, see our guide.