How To Take Control of Your Winter Driving Problems

Trust us when we say that if it isn’t snowing like heck by the time you read this, it will be here very shortly.

Even when it isn’t snowing, freezing temps are already here and they can turn your holiday plans into mush in no time.

If you’re new to the greater Chicago area, or if you’re an old hand when it comes to dealing with old man winter, the fact remains that today’s cars are safer than ever before.

The problem here is that those safety measures can lull us into a false sense of security.

There are a few things you should consider inspecting before winter really settles in for the remainder of the season (which could last until April!).

Let’s take a look at the basics, to begin with.

Basic Winter Car Maintenance Must-Dos. 

Whether you decide to take your vehicle to the professional mechanics at Hong Kong Auto Service or you do some of these checks yourself, the trick here is to ACTUALLY DO THEM!

Too many people put car maintenance off until next weekend, after Halloween, after the first snowfall, etc., etc.

Don’t wait! We see too many people having their vehicles towed in because they waited just a bit too long.

The very basic maintenance that you need to do ASAP includes:

• Check that all fluids are topped off. In fact, you should make this a once-a-week check during the winter months. Put a reminder on your phone and it will only take you a few minutes.

• Check all interior and exterior lights. You can do this quick check every time you get gas or on the first of every month. It literally takes about 1 minute to check your emergency flashers, turn signals, backup lights, headlights, high beams, taillights, and brake lights all work.

• Invest a few extra bucks on winter wiper blades. Winter blades are exactly what the name implies, and they are worth every extra penny. Once you’ve tried them in a freezing rainstorm, you won’t ever go back to plain old wipers again.

• Never let your car’s gas tank go below half if you can possibly avoid it. You never know when you are going to be stranded on the freeway due to a pileup and you’ll need to run the motor for warmth. This is not the time you want to see that little red gas light come on the dash! Keeping the fuel tank at least half full will also prevent fuel line freeze-up

• Invest in winter tires. Yes, we know that winter tires are not cheap, but this is an investment in your safety. Use them only in the harshest winter months and you can get several years’ worth of use out of them.

• If you must park outside, invest in a windshield cover. This will keep the windshield and outside mirrors free from ice and snow. These things are worth their weight in gold.

• Keep several good-quality ice and snow scrapers. Don’t rely on a credit card since they are not very sturdy and can snap in half.

• Carry jumper cables or invest in one of the small automatic jumping devices that you can recharge and leave in the trunk or glove box.

• Double-check your emergency bag

The majority of people don’t have big problems because they use common sense and take a few safety precautions, such as listed above.

Other Car Facts You Should Consider

Once your vehicle is more than three years old, it’s probably time to have the experts at Hong Kong Auto Service inspect some other parts of your vehicle that you probably haven’t considered.

Your vehicle will be equipped with an ABS system. This anti-lock brake system is designed to pump the brakes for you if you should lose traction or if you should slam your foot on the brakes.

By pumping the brakes, this safety system is designed to help prevent your vehicle from skidding which helps you keep better control over the steering.

When you panic stop (slam your foot on the brake) the weight of your vehicle will transfer to the front tires, adds the load to the front suspension, and causes the springs around the struts to compress.

All this extra wear and pressure on your struts (not to mention the beating your struts and shocks get from those mammoth potholes) means that these parts can wear out or become too weak to operate properly.

If your ABS light should come on, this is a sign that there is a problem somewhere in the system and it should be addressed immediately.

You might also get a hint that all is not right with your shocks or struts if the ride quality appears to be diminished. If the back end of your vehicle bottoms out when backing out of a driveway or if it feels like your vehicle is floating rather than being firmly rolling on the road.

It only takes a few minutes for the qualified mechanics at Hong Kong Auto Service to inspect your shocks, struts, springs, and even the braking system.

Imagine the peace of mind you will have during your holiday vacation knowing that your vehicle has been inspected and is in the best possible running condition?

Is It Time for Regularly Scheduled Maintenance? 

After the pandemic and quarantine of 2020/2021, many people left their vehicles to sit and work from home.

Your vehicle is not a human being. When humans sit, we can rest and recuperate. Vehicles do not have this feature! Cars, trucks, and SUVs are designed to run and then run some more.

When a vehicle sits, rubber parts quickly start to decay, fluids collect water and contaminants, and other parts start to rust.

Don’t wait to have your vehicle serviced, especially if it’s been mostly sitting in the garage for a year or more.

Call the friendly staff at Hong Kong Auto Service. We will be happy to service your vehicle, give it a winter inspection, and do any repairs that might be required.

Rest easy when you take your holiday road trip this year, knowing that you and your family are riding in a safe and well-maintained vehicle.

Isn’t that peace of mind and reassurance one of the best Christmas presents ever?