October brought us bright and sunny weather, but the more traditional autumn weather will soon set in.
And as the weather will get much colder in the coming weeks and months, drivers are urged to do basic car maintenance checks as soon as possible.
Auto Experts, Leasing Options, say drivers who fail to do so can face a fine of up to £ 1,000 and three points for not having proper control of a vehicle or full view of the road and traffic outside to have each other.
Here are her tips for drivers heading into the colder months.
Six important winter service checks
1. Check and replace worn windshield wipers
If you drive with worn windshields in wet, snowy, and icy weather, you will not have a full view of the road.
Before the weather changes, drivers should look for splits or tension in the rubber of their windshield wipers. Replace the wipers immediately if signs of wear are evident.
2. Make sure all lights are working before the darker evenings
On dark evenings, the lights in the car are more important than ever. So that you as the driver not only have the road in view, but also other road users can see you in advance. A broken light on dark evenings can lead to a serious accident.
Make sure all of your car lights are working, including the front and rear fog lights. Drive back to a garage door or large window to check the brake lights and reversing lights are working.
3. Clean your mirrors before you set off
Rule 229 of the Road Traffic Regulations states that when driving in adverse weather conditions, the driver must ensure that the mirrors are free and that the windows are thoroughly fog-free before driving off.
In the winter months, keep a cloth in the glove compartment of your car to clean your mirrors before you go on a drive.
4. Check your tires for irregularities
Make sure your tires are inflated to the correct pressure. Everything else can affect the braking distance and steering feel.
If your car has been idle for a while, you may have developed slight flat spots in the tire that feel like vibration. When you take the car on a ride, the frictional and rotational heat should remove the flat spots.
Also, check the sidewalls for signs of cracks and your tread depth.
5. Check that the cooling system is not frozen
A frozen coolant system can cause significant damage. You should also make sure that the coolant is in sufficient concentration to prevent freezing at lower temperatures. Drivers should not only refill the existing coolant in their vehicle with water, the mixing ratio should be 50:50. Always top up coolant in the system with the same color.
6. How to prevent screen wash from freezing
Another fluid that needs to be in the right concentration to prevent freezing is windshield washer fluid. For the winter months, it is best to use a 50:50 mixture of water and windshield washer fluid.
You can find more stories from where you live at InYourArea.
