5 Tips for Driving this Winter in Colorado

We’re fully into the Colorado winter and the fluctuations in weather are coming in force, from sunny days to high winds and heavy snowfall, we need to be ready for anything everyday. Here are some quick tips from Fisher Honda about maintaining and driving your vehicle this winter.

Prevent your Vehicle’s Fluids from Freezing Up

It is possible for your gas lines to freeze up in cold enough weather. The ideal way to prevent you vehicle’s fuel lines from freezing up is to keep your fuel tank at least 50% full at all times. As far as your vehicle’s cooling system, you should be using a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water in order to maximize the efficiency of your system and both managing the cold and the heat of your vehicle. Some manufactures recommend a different ratio, so reference your packaging to check your specific antifreeze’s specifications.

Maintain Your Windshield, Wipers, and Washer Fluid

In order to keep a good eye on the road all winder, maintaining your windshield’s systems are critical. Make sure that you’re filling your car’s windshield washer fluid reservoir with fluid that is made for cold conditions and will not freeze, this will also prevent your washer pump from freezing. Park your car with windshield wipers all the way down and out of your field of view in case they freeze to your windshield.

Double Check All of the Little Things Around Your Vehicle

Road conditions in the winter can be far less than ideal and there are some maintenance checks that you can perform pretty quickly to make sure that your vehicle is in optimal condition to handle whatever Colorado throws at it. Checking on the condition and inflation of your tires, tread level is key to your car being able to function properly in the snow. A vehicle requires at least 5/32″ of tread on each tire for it to bite into the snow, any less and you’ll find the tires spinning. Maintain proper tire inflation as well in the snow, check it regularly as temperature fluctuations can cause the pressure in the tire to fluctuate as well. Checking on the condition of brakes is essential as well, a quick look at your brake pads to see how much of them are left. You can also check out your battery to make sure it is holding up properly.

Only Warm Up Your Vehicle with Plenty of Ventilation

Everyone appreciates walking out to an already warmed up car when its cold outside, but its not worth warming up your vehicle in a garage or another poorly ventilated area. The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is there after only a few minutes of the vehicle running in an enclosed area. If you choose to warm up your car, move it to well ventilated area or at least open your garage door.

Take it Slow While You’re Driving in Averse Conditions

Remember that speed limits are set for roads in optimal condition, take it slow when dealing with snow and ice. Stopping can be much more difficult in snowy conditions, stopping distances should be increased by as much as 10 times over the normal requirement. An increased follow distance is required for your safety and that of those around you. Accelerating from a stop can also be difficult in the snow, try to roll up to stop lights slowly to avoid completely stopping. If you are forced to stop completely, try starting from a low gear if you feel your wheels slipping at all and you’re in an automatic transmission vehicle.

Be careful driving out there! If you have anything to add to this post, let us know in the comments below!