Take steps now to winterize

Professionals share tips to get cars ready for upcoming winter season

Winter doesn’t officially arrive on the calendar until Dec. 21.

But Northeast Ohio motorists would be wise to act sooner to prepare their cars for winter driving.

It’s just good preventative maintenance,” said Rich Elwell, manager of ESS Automotive/ Major League Tire at 7485 Tyler Blvd. in Mentor. “You don’t want to have a car problem with it being 18 degrees outside and snowing. If there are issues that should be checked now while the weather is good, it just makes common sense.”

When the first major snowstorm strikes Northeast Ohio each year, Elwell said his shop typically gets a lot of calls from people who need new tires.

“Either people are slipping and sliding or didn’t get their tires checked before the first snow,” he said. “It’s always an issue.”

Elwell said 2/32 of an inch is

“If you don’t have enough tread on your tires to disperse the elements, your car is going to slip and slide.” — Rich Elwell, manager of ESS Automotive/Major League Tire at 7485 Tyler Blvd. in Mentor

the minimum state limit for tire tread depth. He explained that tires are equipped with equally spaced tread wear bars embedded between the tread ribs at 2/32 of an inch. If the tread of a tire is flush with the tire wear bars, that tire should be replaced.

Another simple way to check tread depth on a tire is the penny test, according to goodyearautoservice.com.

“Simply insert a penny into your tire’s tread groove with Lincoln’s head upside down and facing you. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head, your tread depth is less than 2/32 inch and it’s time to replace your tires,” the website stated.

Elwell said that proper tread depth is needed to get the moisture in the snow up into the grooves of a tire and then to disperse it out.

“If you don’t have enough tread on your tires to disperse the elements, your car is going to slip and slide,” he said.

While many cars today are equipped with allseason radial tires, Elwell said his shop does sell a fair number of snow tires every year.

“It makes a big difference if you do have snow tires on your vehicle,” Elwell said. “It’s a combination of tread and the rubber compound that remains much more flexible when the temperature drops.”

For cars with rear wheel drive, snow tires are almost a necessity, Elwell noted.

“And there are still a few rear-wheel drive cars out there,” he said.

Another thing motorists need to remember is that when temperatures plummet in the winter, air pressure in tires also can decrease.

“The molecules in the tire contract and you may have to add air in the cold weather,” Elwell said. “That would be natural.”

In fact, AAA reports in

“A battery is something that many drivers take for granted, but it’s one of the key components of a vehicle.” — Jim Garrity, public and community relations manager for the AAA East Central Region.

its Winter Car Care Checklist that tire pressure typically drops by 1 pound per square inch for every decrease of 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

While many newer cars have tire pressure monitoring systems that automatically warn motorists when any of their tires are low on air, owners of older cars need to be diligent about checking theirs with manual gauges, Elwell said.

In addition to tires, Elwell said it’s important to make sure a vehicle’s lights are all working because of longer periods of darkness.

“It gets darker earlier now, and it’s going to get darker at 4:30 or 5 p.m. by the time late December rolls around,” he said. “You need to be able to have those sidemarker lights, headlights and taillights on … all of your lights should be checked.”

Two other key items needed to ensure proper visibility for drivers in the winter are windshield wipers and windshield washer fluid.

With wipers, motorists need to decide if they want to install winter blades in place of summer ones.

“In regions where snow is common, consider installing winter wiper blades that wrap the blade frame in a rubber boot to reduce ice and snow buildup that can prevent good contact between the blade and the glass of summer blades,” AAA stated in its Winter Car Care Checklist.

To keep a windshield clear of residue from snow, slush and road salt, make sure a vehicle’s reservoir for windshield washer fluid stays filled, Elwell said.

He said some retail stores sell windshield washer fluid in the summer that’s intended for warm weather and then change over to a winter washer fluid when cold weather approaches.

Motorists should check on the jugs of windshield washer fluid that they purchase to be sure they are buying a product that is intended for frigid weather.

“Otherwise if it freezes after you put it in your car, it doesn’t do you any good,” he said.

One of the interior parts of a car that needs to be in prime condition for winter is the battery.

“As the temperature drops, the efficiency of a battery drops naturally,” Elwell said.

He also said if a vehicle battery is used for 3 or 4 years or beyond, it’s a good idea to get it checked annually.

AAA East Central, which services Northeast Ohio, reports that the No. 1 reason for service calls in the winter is dead batteries.

“A battery is something that many drivers take for granted, but it’s one of the key components of a vehicle,” said Jim Garrity, public and community relations manager for the AAA East Central Region.

Garrity said AAA members can request a visit from a mobile battery service technician from AAA who will test their battery and replace it on-site, if necessary.

AAA’s Winter Car Care Checklist also offers advice regarding antifreeze that is needed during winters in Northeast Ohio.

“Check the coolant level in the overflow tank when the engine is cold,” the checklist states. “If the level is low, add a 50/50 solution of coolant and water to maintain the necessary antifreeze capability. Test the antifreeze protection level annually with an inexpensive tester available at any auto parts store.”