As a Bay Area towing company, we find that the large majority of our roadside calls could have been avoided with a little proactive maintenance on the car owner’s part. In some cases, needing a tow truck is a minor inconvenience; in others, our clients’ calls are heartbreaking because their auto accident or incident involves major damage or personal injury and harm.
While we’re happy to provide roadside assistance when needed, we also want to do our part to keep our clients as safe as possible. To that end, here are 10 winter car maintenance tips that may prevent you from an accident or incident this season.
While it’s a rare day that we have ice on our Bay Area roads, wet and slippery surfaces are the norm this time of year. Your tire tread is critical when it comes to gripping the road and preventing the car from slipping and sliding on wet or slick surfaces. Review your tire manufacturer’s recommendations for tire pressure and rotation. Most tires require rotating at least every 5000 miles to keep the wear and tear as even as possible.
Establishing a relationship with a trusted tire and brake shop in your area, and observing regular rotations, means tires are maintained as they should be and replaced as needed.
The great news about observing regular tire rotations is that technicians also get a good look at your brakes. They’ll let you know when brakes or rotors need to be replaced, and most give you a heads up that brakes are going to need replacement soon so you can be prepared the next time around. Investing in high-quality brakes is wise as you get what you pay for. Your slightly elevated cost for high-quality brakes is repaid by safety and longevity.
Windshield wipers are made of rubber to keep them flexible and maximize contact with the windshield, so they can clear as much water as possible. Unfortunately, rubber is degradable and becomes dry and cracked with regular exposure to temperature fluctuations and the elements. Windshield wipers should be replaced at least once per year.
Replacing windshield wipers is a simple DIY fix and the parts dealers at your local auto parts stores, such as Napa or O'Reilly, are happy to help you choose the right type for your car’s make, model, and year. If you aren’t interested in replacing your own, you can get the job done the next time you change your oil. If you’re spending much time in the snow, ask about winter wipers which are designed differently, and then switch back to regular wipers in the spring.
That brings us to the next item on the list. The rule of thumb used to be to change your oil every 3000 miles. Today’s cars, especially those using synthetic oil, may recommend a 5000 mile oil change cycle. Regardless, refer to your vehicle owner’s manual to be sure.
Look up local oil change garages online as many offer coupons or special offers for first-timers, and getting on their email list means access to future offers down the road. Changing your oil regularly is essential for healthy engine function, improves gas mileage, and guarantees you’ll never break down as the result of a seized engine - which must be completely rebuilt or replaced!
Most of our Bay Area clients enjoy visiting the Tahoe area mountains or other snow-happy areas at least once or twice in the winter. However, road conditions can change quickly in a winter snowstorm, so you want to be prepared.
Read our post 15 Emergency Roadside Kit Must-Haves and take note. You should also check antifreeze levels before heading up or down the mountain, and have an extra bottle in the trunk just in case.
Running out of gas is one of the top five reasons we get called to help people out. We get it. When you’re in the midst of a busy work week, it’s easy to pledge, “I’ll get gas tomorrow…” and then wind up making it to full empty sooner than expected. That’s fine if you are in the middle of civilization, with a safe place to pull over, full reception, and plenty of time to kill. Otherwise, running out of gas ranges from a major annoyance to life-threatening.
The latter is particularly true if you’re in the snow or caught in cold, nighttime low temperatures. In that case, you want to have access to the car’s heating system and that’s only available to you if you have enough gas to run the engine. Keeping the gas tank at least half-full gives you lots of wiggle room if/when you find yourself stranded on the side of the road.
Cars should get a good once-over from your favorite mechanic at least once per year. Pre-winter or early winter is a great time to schedule that. Your mechanic will ensure your batteries are in great shape, take a look at your belts, wires, spark plugs, and cables, check the tires and fluids, verify your windshield wipers are good for another season, and so on. This is the best way to take care of all of the above in one single visit.
We also recommend reading Maintaining This Vehicle Maintenance List to Avoid Towing for more vehicle maintenance tips to keep you tow truck-free this year.
Find yourself needing a tow truck after all? J&T Towing is here to help. Give us a call, at (707) 356-4613, or contact us online and we’ll get one of our friendly and helpful technicians out ASAP.
