Bracing for the cold? Make sure your car's ready, too

With the change from fall's beautiful colors and diminishing warmth to the bitter arrival of winter, it's easy to forget the family vehicle amidst other chores around the house, cottage and yard. No matter the make, model or age of your family ride, chances are that you rely on it for safe, trouble-free transportation every day of the year.


The impending cold brings added stress on a vehicle's components- including its engine, powertrain, and fluids. Regardless of the age of your car, truck or SUV, an exceptionally frigid day is the most likely time for poor maintenance to show itself. If your older model isn't running at one hundred percent, the cold stands to make problems worse. Conversely, your newer model's long-term reliability will be ensured if its recommended maintenance intervals are adhered to.

Fluids are your car's life-blood, and many mechanics say that keeping up to date on fluid changes can be the single most important thing you do for your ride. Components like your engine, transmission and differential(s) all rely on specialized fluids to keep them operating smoothly.

Fresh, clean fluids work towards optimal protection and reduced part wear. Your vehicle's four wheel drive or all wheel drive system is going to get a good workout over winter too, so if you've been putting off that differential fluid change all summer, make sure to have it performed before the snow flies. Your owner's manual has more details.

Coolant is especially important when temperatures dip below zero, and you'll want to have yours checked to ensure it won't freeze when the mercury gets low. If t his happens, catastrophic problems could result- as coolant contains water which expands when it freezes. Testing your vehicle's coolant is a simple and easy job that can be completed by a mechanic in a matter of minutes.

The average lube-shop can change all of your vital fluids over your lunch break, quickly offering up peace of mind that's hard to put a price on.

Having your dealer perform a tune-up is also a good idea, as it will ensure all systems are running properly while helping to combat additional cold-weather fuel consumption. If your vehicle's ignition, fuel, starting, and electrical systems all get a good bill of health from your favorite technician, you can head into the depths of winter driving with a smile on your face.