How to Prepare Your Car for Winter

Posted October 3, 2018

No one likes the word “winter” but here in Canada, it’s inevitable. The best thing that you can do is prepare your car for the looming snow and ice. Here are a few tips that you can do to help your car get through the winter months:

Get Your Winter Tires

Your winter tires should be installed once the weather begins to reach below 7°C. Certified winter tires will have a three-peak mountain symbol on them indicating that they perform best in the cold and snowy weather. Certified winter tires are made with pliable rubber that will stay soft in cold weather conditions so get them installed as soon as the temperature begins to drop. If your winter tires were stored over the spring and summer, be sure to inspect them for cracks, bulges, and debris. It’s also a good idea to check the tread depth on your tires. If you don’t have a tread depth gauge, we can check them and advise you if you need new winter tires now or in the near future or if they will be in good condition for the next few winter seasons.

Get a Seasonal Maintenance Inspection

Have your vehicle inspected to ensure that all your systems are running correctly. If you bring your vehicle to your local Integra Tire, we can inspect your brakes, belts, hoses, heating system, and electrical systems. We can also check your battery strength to ensure that it doesn’t need replacing. We will also check all of your lights to ensure that they are all working. Finally, we can check your fluid levels to ensure that your oil, windshield washer fluid, brake fluid, and transmission fluid are all at adequate levels.

Pack a Winter Vehicle Safety Kit

When travelling in the winter it’s very important to have safety supplies in case you run into any trouble on the road. Pack a shovel, a blanket, spare tire, tire jack, jumper cables, snowbrush and ice scraper, shovel, ice melt, flares, and a flashlight.

Keep Your Gas Tank Half Full

In the winter you should always ensure that your gas tank is at least half full. If your tank gets too low, condensation could build up in your gas lines and freeze.

You can always bring your vehicle into your local Integra Tire Auto Centre and we will be happy to help you with anything you need to get your vehicle ready for winter.

Questions? Our Advisors are Happy to Help!

If you have questions about anything you've read in this resource page, contact your nearest dealer for more information. We are passionate in assisting our customers make the best choices to keep their vehicles in tip-top shape and keep their families safe.