Preparing your car for winter: how to avoid problems and what to keep in your car
Kyiv • UNN
Timely preparation of your car for the winter season ensures safety on the road and helps avoid unforeseen expenses. It is important to change tires, check the battery, heating system, windshield washer, and wipers.
Preparing your car for winter on time makes your trips safe, saves time and money. However, some issues related to winter weather conditions will still have to be resolved. UNN tells how to take care of your car in winter and what you should carry with you.
Preparing your car for winter
Despite the fact that winter in Ukraine has not been so severe recently, this season is a serious test for any car and its owner. Temperature fluctuations, high humidity, frosts, slippery roads, chemicals on them - all this worsens the condition of the car and the quality of driving. By properly equipping your car for winter, you can avoid unpleasant consequences.
Should we hope for a warm winter: a meteorologist gave a forecast28.10.25, 10:00 • 18106 views
When to change tires for winter
"Changing tires" of a car before the onset of the winter season is a routine and common procedure for every driver. This is especially true for those who drive to work or on business every morning in their car.
It is worth noting that in recent years, drivers often do not comply with the requirements for changing summer tires to winter ones. This is due to the fact that in recent years, winters in Ukraine have not been very cold and snowy. However, it is worth being careful, because sudden snowfalls still happen and can catch even the most experienced drivers by surprise. During sudden frosts, many accidents occur because drivers ignore the requirement to change tires.
Ukrainian legislation does not regulate when it is necessary to change summer tires to winter ones. According to traffic rules, the operation of vehicles that have a residual tread pattern height of less than 1.6 mm is prohibited. For cars weighing more than 3.5 tons - 1.0 mm, buses - 2.0 mm, motorcycles and mopeds - 0.8 mm.
However, there is an unwritten rule according to which summer tires should be changed to winter ones in the so-called five-degree regime - from +5 degrees to +10, because summer tires harden in the cold and turn into slippery plastic.
How to take care of your car's battery and systems in winter
In winter, the battery experiences increased load, because in frosts it is more difficult to start the car. If the battery's service life is expiring, it is better to replace it in advance, in the fall. Note that it usually works for 3 to 5 years. If you have only recently replaced it, you should check the fluid level in it, inspect the terminals for corrosion, and clean them if possible.
It is also worth checking the heating system, because driving with a broken stove in the cold is extremely unpleasant. Even if the temperature has dropped slightly, a broken heater creates a lot of inconvenience. The inability to blow warm air on the windshield leads to its fogging, which is extremely dangerous, as it impairs visibility.
You also need to replace the windshield washer fluid from summer to winter, because summer washer fluid, or plain water, which car owners often pour to clean the glass, can freeze, which will lead to the loss of the washer fluid reservoir, as it can burst.
In addition, another guarantee of good visibility in winter is working windshield wipers. Their blades are rubber, and therefore over time they crack, wear out and do their job poorly. Therefore, preparing a car for winter always involves assessing the condition of the windshield wipers, it is recommended to change the blades every year, or even better - every six months.
How to avoid freezing doors and locks
In order for you to be able to get into your car normally in sub-zero temperatures, it is necessary to avoid freezing door seals. For this, you can use silicone spray, gel or a special silicone pencil, which create a water-repellent layer and prevent freezing.
Also, regularly clean the seals from snow, ice and dirt from the door frames, because dirt retains moisture, which then freezes.
What should be in the car in winter
In addition to the traditional set - first aid kit, fire extinguisher, tool kit, rope - in winter it is worth having a brush for cleaning snow, jumper cables for "jump-starting" the battery (colloquially "crocodiles") if it is "dead", a shovel in case of heavy snowfall when the car needs to be dug out.
Patrol police warns: who can hide in your car in winter13.01.25, 03:16 • 57164 views