How to Winterize Your Car | Bob Moore Collision Center

As winter approaches, take a little time to keep yourself safe and prepare your vehicle for winter! While Oklahoma doesn't often see blizzards, we see our share of snow and more than our fair share of ice. Being proactive is half the battle for winter driving, and the best way to ensure you don't end up at Bob Moore Collision Center! In the sections below, we'll share best practices for winterizing your vehicle and driving in the snow. If your car takes damage this winter, visit our collision center in Oklahoma City to get a free repair estimate!

How to Prepare Your Vehicle for Winter

With winter quickly approaching, there are several easy steps you can take to get your car ready for winter:

• Test your battery
• Check oil and coolant levels
• Switch to synthetic oil
• Use a deicing window washer
• Check tire tread and install snow tires if needed
• Ensure your headlights and taillights are in good condition

Most of these items you can accomplish yourself, but you can always visit a service center for assistance with any of the items above! Even just checking your tire tread goes a long way to ensuring your safety through winter. As temperature and pressure change, it's also important to keep an eye on your tire pressure too. While the items above should be sufficient for most people who want to winterize their car, you can also go a little further, getting new wiper blades and ensuring your vehicle has a full tank of gas through the winter. This trick helps ensure no water enters and freezes in your lines. As always, you want to be aware of engine oil and gas levels before heading out in any sort of inclement weather.

EV Prep

Winterizing your EV is a little different than your normal car. You still have to check the lights and tires, but you don't have to worry about oil or coolant. As colder temperatures impact your battery, taking proper care of it in cold weather is key. The best thing you can do is the easiest. Keep your EV parked indoors to help protect it from the cold weather. It also helps to preheat your car while it's still plugged in, ensuring you don't drain the battery while preconditioning. Most importantly, know your car. It's likely your range will be reduced and charging will be slower, so be sure to plan for reduced range so you don't get stranded in a storm.

What to Keep in Your Car

When the occasional blizzard hits or you find yourself stranded on the side of the road, you want to ensure you have all the right tools to keep you safe and warm. We recommend keeping the following items in your vehicle during the winter:

• A first aid kit
• Tire chains
• Jumper cables
• A tow Rope
• A cell phone charger
• A blanket and winter clothing
• An ice scraper, a snow brush, and a compact shovel
• A flashlight

If you want to get really serious about winterizing your car, you can add emergency food and water, and even sand or cat litter to help your car gain traction when stuck. Of course, the best way to avoid getting stuck in bad weather is to wait until it clears up! It's always better to exercise a little bit of extra caution with snow on the ground.

Driving Safely in the Snow

Driving really only consists of three things: accelerating, braking, and turning. When driving in snow or ice, try only to do one of these things at a time. Turning while braking or accelerating can go wrong quickly! Some other tips for driving in the snow include: 

• Give your car time to warm up
• Scrape the snow and ice from your vehicle
• Drive slowly with no sudden acceleration or braking
• Brake early and gently
• Keep a healthy distance from other drivers
• Maintain momentum when driving up hills
• Downshift and slowly tap the brakes when traveling downhill
• Don't use high beams in the snow
• Ensure your tires are properly inflated

Even with your best efforts, there's no telling what winter weather can bring! If your car sustains damage this year, Bob Moore Collision Center is ready to help. Our Oklahoma City Collision Center has seen it all, and we can assist with anything from hail damage to serious collisions. We serve a wide range of brands, from Ford to Porsche. Schedule your visit to Bob Moore Collision Center online today!