How to Prepare Your Vehicle for Winter

Before winter arrives, start preparing your vehicle for the change in the season. To get started, follow these simple tips.

Check Your Lights

To ensure you have maximum visibility while on the road this winter, take some time to check your vehicle's lights. Properly functioning lights not only help you see the road, they also ensure other drivers can see you and are informed about your next move. Get someone to help you check your headlights, tail lights, brake lights, turn signals, high beams, fog lights, and emergency lights. If any of these are dim or have burned out, definitely replace the bulbs right away. If the plastic covering over the bulbs has become foggy or is yellowing, consider purchasing a restoration kit to get them back to their best. To avoid having buildup and ice stick to your lights, give the plastic covering a wax.

Test Your Defroster

The winter weather isn't just cold, it can also cause your cars windows and windshield to fog up. This isn't only inconvenient, it can also be quite dangerous. Driving through a storm at night with a fogged up windshield can put you in a lot danger and cause you added stress. Before you get caught in a similar situation, test your defroster. If it's unable to perform its job properly, take your car into the shop to get this fixed as soon as possible. While you're testing your defroster, it's also a good idea to test your temperature controls. Be sure these are working properly so you're not left freezing during your daily commute this winter.

Give Your Car a Synthetic Oil Change

Giving your car a synthetic oil change during any season has its benefits, so before giving your car its next oil change, consider making the switch to synthetic oil. Conventional oil tends to become thick and sluggish as temperatures drop. This inhibits its ability to flow through your engine efficiently and may even cause parts of your engine to be left uncovered. Overtime, this can cause wear and damage to your engine. To avoid this from happening, trust a synthetic oil like AMSOIL to keep your engine better protected, no matter how low temperatures drop. Even on cold starts, synthetic oil  will not lose its ability to flow efficiently, meaning your engine is better protected all year long. If you're interest in finding out more about how a synthetic oil change in Buda can benefit your vehicle, contact Syntex Lubricants at (512) 848- 8240. Their experts can help you find the best AMSOIL Oil products for your vehicle this winter. Don't forget to check out their online shop for a full range of products.

Keep Your Windshield Clean

Another way to maintain proper visibility during the winter is by ensuring your windshield is always clean. Driving through storms can reduce your visibility not only because of the rain but also because of the debris that other cars may splash onto yours. To keep your windshield clean, be sure to always have plenty of windshield wiper fluid in its reservoir. If temperatures are expected to drop below freezing, look for fluid that won't freeze. Next, check on your windshield wipers. If you didn't replace these after summer, they may be a bit dry and unable to perform their job well. Before you get caught in a winter storm with malfunctioning wipers, get these replaced.

Fill up on Antifreeze

Antifreeze, also known as coolant, helps keep your engine cool in the summer and does just the opposite in the winter. To avoid having your engine freeze, check the level of antifreeze in your vehicle. If it's below the indicator line, top it off. If you're replacing your antifreeze, be sure you know what type to use or what mix is recommended for your vehicle. Most vehicles use a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water because this lowers the temperature that it will freeze at. If you're not sure, check your owner's manual for the most accurate instructions.

Pack an Emergency Kit

It's always a good idea to carry an emergency kit in your car, but it may be even more important during the winter. If you get stranded on the side of the road, you'll be glad you were prepared. Your emergency kit should include a flashlight, a first aid kit, a blanket, a knife, jumper cables, a cellphone charger, a shovel, and some snacks.

Get a Synthetic Oil Change in Buda

To find the best synthetic oil for your vehicle, contact Syntex Lubricants. Give them a call at (512) 848- 8240 to find out more about their products or to place an order.