If you work from home, there’s a good chance your car has been sitting idle a lot more this year than it typically does. But even if you’re running less mileage through your car this year, it’s vital to stay on top of regular maintenance.
If your car is sitting idle for long periods, it’s even more important to check the basics. Verify that your tires are inflated to the proper pressure. Many oil change services also perform a basic inspection, so pay attention to the notes they give you, such as tire tread depth or how much time your brakes have left before the pads need to be replaced.
Here's what to do to prepare your car for the snowy season.
- If you haven’t had your car inspected for a while, consider hiring a mechanic for a full winterization. They should test belts, hoses, brakes and battery, as well as all elements that will receive more winter wear and tear, such as spark plugs and delivery lines.
- Keep a close eye on your tires with every temperature change. Every 10-degree drop in temperature causes your tires to lose one pound per square inch of pressure, so tires that hold up well on a moderately cold day might lose traction on extremely cold days.
- Equip your car with an emergency kit that includes first aid supplies, battery jumper cables, shovel, blanket, flashlight, flares, mobile phone battery charger, repair tools, bottled water and high-energy snacks.
- Wash your car frequently. The salt road crews spread on ice is very effective at melting it, but it also corrodes metal components.
- Keep your windshield wipers clean and free of ice. Your best choice is to pull the wipers up and away from the windshield when not in use. If you forget and leave them in place, first pull them free of the windshield and remove any ice. If you don’t, and they’re stuck when you turn on the wiper control, the rubber on one or both blades could tear.
- Whenever you notice problems, whether it’s squealing brakes or an engine that hiccups on startup more and more often, don’t put off repairs.
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7 key fluids to check before winter
The fluids in your car help ensure that its various components, the engine included, can operate at their peak. Before winter arrives, it’s essential to ensure they’re topped up. Here are seven fluids you need to check.
Motor oil: Motor oil lubricates and cleans the engine, thereby reducing friction between its moving parts. Wait about 15 minutes after turning your car off to check the oil level. When refilling the oil, gradually add small quantities until the maximum level has been reached.
Brake fluid: This hydraulic fluid is crucial to the functioning of your car’s brake system. When the brake fluid is running low, the brake warning light on your dashboard (an exclamation point inside a circle) should light up. The brake fluid reservoir is located at the rear of the engine compartment on the driver’s side.
Transmission fluid: Transmission fluid lubricates moving parts, facilitates gear shifts and cools the transmission. To check how much of this fluid your car has, start the engine and inspect the transmission dipstick, typically located on the driver’s side of the engine compartment. In some manual transmission cars, the dipstick is difficult to access and the task of checking the transmission is best left to a professional.
Coolant: Coolant prevents damage caused by boiling or freezing. The coolant reservoir is transparent and found near the radiator. It should never be opened while the radiator is hot. It’s recommended that you check the reservoir for leaks every few weeks and change the coolant according to your car manufacturer’s recommendations.
Gear oil: Also called differential fluid, gear oil lubricates the gears that transfer power from the driveshaft to the wheel axles. Get your gear oil level checked by a mechanic before winter.
Power steering fluid: Power steering fluid needs to be changed about every four years or when the liquid has turned light brown. The reservoir is located in the engine compartment and marked with a steering wheel symbol.
Windshield washer fluid: Make sure to keep an eye on your windshield washer fluid level. Winter road conditions can quickly cause a mess and being able to see clearly will keep you, your passengers and other road users safe.
Rust in peace: These cars aren't returning in 2021
Rust in peace
Buick Regal
In the pantheon of cool Buick names like Invicta and Electra, this Opel import with the blue-hair name was doomed from the start, although its remarkably unremarkable personality didn't help.
Acura RLX
A perfectly anonymous car with an equally anonymous name, the RLX is a stark reminder of how far Acura's product development and marketing has fallen from the excellence established by the Legend.
Alfa Romeo 4C
Now that America has become a nation of SUV-loving truck drivers, where dreary practicality triumphs over sheer fun, pure sports cars like the fun-to-drive 4C are sadly overlooked also-rans.
BMW i8
You'd think a gas-electric hybrid as attractive as the BMW i8, with handling to match, would succeed. But $147,500 for a car powered by the Mini's three-cylinder engine? Really?
Chevrolet Impala
While car buyers think nothing of buying enormous SUVs, they think twice about buying a large car, even one as good as the Impala. That said, a more inspired design would have helped.
Cadillac CT6
With a name only a lifeless marketer would love, this flagship sedan was sabotaged by tepid styling that lacked the Escalade's unmitigated swagger, and a cabin far too cheap for its station.
Chevrolet Sonic
With exorbitant gasoline prices now a distant memory, this funky and fun little hatchback lost its raison d'etre. Its platform lives on, however, in the Chevrolet Trax and Buick Encore.
Ford Fusion
Ford may blame lack of buyer interest with killing the Fusion. The absence of any meaningful update for years has much more to do with it. A sad, self-inflicted end to a well-respected and popular car.
Dodge Grand Caravan
Cheap to buy and very practical, but the end has come for this minivan after 35 years as Dodge focuses on performance-oriented products. Its replacement, the Chrysler Voyager, is now on sale.
Dodge Journey
Outclassed in every respect except for its low price and archaic Ultradrive four-speed automatic transmission, this sad relic of the DaimlerChrysler era is thankfully seeing its journey come to an end.
Honda Fit
Its beauty was its utility, which was far larger than its size suggested thanks to the flexibility of its seating system. And it was unexpectedly fun to drive, something rarely said of cheap utilitarian cars.
Honda Civic Coupe
While the whole sport compact scene grew out of cars like the Civic Coupe, its time has come and gone, as buyers are unwilling to put up with an iota of inconvenience in the name of fashion.
Jaguar XE
Like the X-Type before it, this entry-level British sports sedan never possessed the requisite grace, pace and space needed to steal buyers away from the BMW 3-Series.
Lincoln Continental
Developed using a front-wheel-drive Ford Fusion platform to save money and lacking the requisite aura of the concept car that foreshadowed it. The Continental's fate was sealed from the start.
Lincoln MKZ
This gussied-up Ford Fusion with a crummy name was bound to exit once the Fusion did. Aside from seniors who liked nabbing a Lincoln at a low price, the MKZ was never special enough.
Lexus GS
Always the middle child, never as popular as the Lexus LS or ES sedans. Toyota President Akio Toyoda wanted to kill the GS in 2011. Executives saved the car, but sales never improved. Now, Akio gets his wish.
Jaguar XF Sportbrake
If you thought that the idea of a Jaguar station wagon seemed a bit off, you're not alone, even though this was a fabulously fun-to-drive alternative to the overwhelming overabundance of SUVs.
Mercedes-Benz SL
Mercedes-Benz has killed the two-seat SL-Class, but online reports speculate that the renowned roadster could return as a 2+2 for 2022, built by Mercedes-AMG.
Mercedes-Benz SLC
With buyers ignoring everything except SUVs, this cut-rate convertible is circling the block for the last time, still in need of the upscale elan, space and build quality that its larger siblings possess.
Toyota Yaris
Americans hate subcompacts, especially when gas prices are low. So even though this disguised rendition of the Mazda2 is fun to drive, downsized cars are DOA.
