By: MaKenna Moore  

     While this year everyone has been wanting to leave the house and do anything but stay inside, the holiday season has people very excited. The pandemic is not the only thing anyone travelling for the holidays must be careful about; they should also be sure their car is winter ready.  As the holiday season approaches, along with it comes the harsh winter weather. With all the sudden weather changes and wanting to get out, there is danger of driving during this time. You cannot always know what is going on with your vehicle and how to properly operate it, but winterizing your vehicle is a good way to help yourself during the winter months, to improve your safety, and keep your vehicle in good condition against the harsh weather. 

     The Squire asked, a student of Eisenhower, Steven Reilly, about the different ways to keep your vehicle in the best condition during the winter months. We asked Reilly if he carries any supplies in his car for any event that could occur, and he shared, “I personally do not carry supplies in my vehicle because I really don’t have the room, but it doesn’t hurt to carry tools, especially if you have some knowledge on vehicles.” In regards to whether any precautions need to be taken on winterizing before the weather hits, such as checking tires, he advised, “When the temperature drops you should check your tire pressure because in the winter months your TPM (tire pressure monitoring system) sensor can act up and not read your tire pressure correctly.” Other precautions he mentioned involve the amounts of gas in your tank, with Reilly stating, “I think it is very important to keep your gas tank half full, heck, even a quarter full. The reason behind that is if there is any rust or anything really that got in your tank, it’s going to sit on the bottom and, when you run your tank dry, it will suck that up and clog your fuel pump.” Finally, when the conditions get bad and cold, the last thing anyone wants to do is wash their car, but is it even important? Steven explained, “Yes, you should because during the winter months, when they put salt on the road that salt gets up onto your frame and other important things and can cause them to not last as long and even be weak. Washing your car every week would be the best, just to be safe.” Even if you don’t winterize your car, you should still check to make sure everything is running correctly, so your vehicle can run its best and have a longer life span.  

     Other ways to prepare for the winter include following the steps according to a driving.ca article titled “10 Tips to Prepare Your Car and Yourself-for Winter.” The steps are as follows:  

1^st step – Winter Tires 

2^nd step – Battery Test  

3^rd step – Block Heater  

4^th step – Fluids  

5^th step – Vision/Wipers  

6^th step – Locks, Latches, Doors  

7^th step – Floor Mats  

8^th step – Trunk Necessities  

9^th step – Ballast 

10^th step – Clothing  

    Hopefully, with some of this helpful information, you can know what to do and what not to do. It is essential to check on your vehicle and know how to properly take care of it. Doing so will help you learn the ways to keep yourself the safest you can be and how to be prepared for the winter months.