ODESSA, Texas — As the artic blast inches closer to turning the West Texas temperatures frigid starting Sunday, it’s important the car is prepared.
There are several things people can do to be prepared for those cold temperatures and get safely from Point A to Point B. Some steps to take include being proactive and others are more specific, but these tips can help keep your car functioning properly in frigid weather.
Hitting the road in the winter presents challenges for staying on it.
“Cold weather can really wreak havoc on your battery, and we see a lot of calls for dead batteries when you have these cold weather spells," Daniel Armbruster, a spokesman for AAA Texas, said.
Armbruster knows that during the winter time every little thing makes an impact.
“You can turn off your lights and your wipers and your heater before you turn off your engine, that way the next time you turn on your car the battery won’t be as drained to turn over," Armbruster said. "Also, just unplugging USB cables for phone chargers and whatnot. And then, avoid using your heater longer than you need to – the heater can actually drain the battery on a vehicle.”
Getting your battery checked can be a proactive step, says Assistant Director of Odessa College Sewell Auto Tech Shaun Sessa.
“You’re definitely going to want to pay attention to your battery," Sessa said. "In colder conditions, batteries crank slower – they put out less output – so, you want to make sure that you have it at full capacity and as good as you can. If it gets into an icy condition and it’s questionable, that’s when it’s going to fail and that’s when it’s the most dangerous time to fail.”
The battery is just one important factor under the hood.
“The chemicals in antifreeze you’re going to want to make sure you have the right amount of mixture, and that’s important for winter car care as well is all the fluid levels," Armbruster said. "Antifreeze, your windshield washer fluid – both of those are going to be important.”
Cold weather also impacts your tires.
“It can cause a decrease in air pressure in your tires over time, and that can be dangerous," Armbruster said. "Certainly making sure that you have healthy tires is really important…to avoid risk of a blowout. It’s also important for control of the vehicle.”
Vehicle preparedness and driver preparedness are key for winter weather commutes.
“Always want to make sure you have at least a blanket or a couple extra jackets," Sessa said. "Flashlight, something that you can signal for help with, of course keep water – you never know when you’re going to end up being stranded and going to need something to keep you alive in the process while you wait for help.”
Armbruster mentioned that people should also want at least half a tank of gas at all times to prevent fuel line freeze up. For those who warm the car up before driving, be sure to stay with it to avoid possible theft and the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning that can come from allowing it to idle for too long.