Winter Car Storage: What You Need to Know
Tips to Store Your Car Properly in Winter
The constant drop in temperatures, slick roads and gloomy weather conditions during cold months severely affect your driving ability and the vehicle’s functionality. You may have prepared your car for the winter season by swapping to snow tires, checking the battery’s condition and filling up with winter windshield fluid, but have you thought about how you will store your car when it’s not in use or when you’re away? Many car owners underestimate the importance of winter car storage, but it is as crucial as getting your car ready for the winter season. Below are some tips outlined by our skilled technicians to help you store your vehicle correctly in winter, along with the importance of proper car storage in that season. Read on!
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Why Storing Your Car Properly in Winter is Important
There are a number of reasons that make storing your car appropriately more important during the winter season, such as:
- The moisture from melted ice and winter salt can clog the fuel filter, and in older car models, it can rust or corrode the fuel tank.
- There can be difficulty in starting the engine after a heavy snowstorm or a severe drop in the temperature.
- Heavy snow and winter salt can block your car’s exhaust pipe, eventually affecting its operation.
Top Winter Car Storage Tips
- Find the right place: Always try to park your car in a garage or under a shelter to protect it from snow, freezing rain and moisture. Please avoid parking it out in the open, where possible, as the moisture from snow or water makes it prone to rusting and damages the car’s exterior.
- Clean and wax your car: For added protection, always wash your vehicle properly before storing it in a dry place. Generously wax the bumper, hood, door trims and other chrome surfaces to protect the exterior paint against rusting and moisture build-up.
- Check the tire pressure: Always inflate your car tires a little extra in winter because tires start to lose pressure over time. You can also keep thick wood boards under the tires when keeping your vehicle on uneven ground to protect them from puncturing.
- Top up anti-freeze: To protect your engine from rust and corrosion, top up your anti-freeze before storing your car. Anti-freeze is a liquid that helps regulate the engine, even if the temperature reaches below the freezing point.
To learn more, such as winter auto maintenance tips, visit Budds’ Chevrolet Buick GMC and get in touch with our highly experienced technicians.