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From icy windshields to slippery roads, winter driving in Wisconsin and Minnesota can be brutal. But with just a little planning and preventive maintenance, you and your car can make it into spring in good shape. Focused on helping local motorists in Onalaska and Lacrosse, WI, as well as Winona, MN, Dee’s Auto Care Specialists highlight a few essential tips for winterizing your vehicle.

5 Essential Preventive Maintenance Tips to Winterize Your Car

1. Get a Brake Inspection

Salt on winter roads can often cause extensive corrosion to brake rotors, but if they are already in poor condition, you can experience more considerable damage. If this deterioration causes the rotors to wear uneven, you may notice disruptive vibrations or less control when you brake. To make sure your car has proper stopping power all season long, have your brakes inspected—and repaired if necessary—before and after the snow arrives.

preventive maintenance2. Tune Up Your Tires

When cold temperatures cause tires to lose air pressure, you may be more at risk of experiencing poor traction, a flat, or blowout on the road. As such, you might need to replace your current tires if they don’t have reliable treads and are wearing unevenly. If you’re driving extensively, you may also want to consider switching to snow tires or putting on chains.

3. Schedule an Oil Change

In the presence of low temperatures, motor oil can develop a thicker viscosity, which can make it difficult for your engine components to receive the thorough lubrication they need. To protect your engine, make sure your car is caught up with its oil change schedule before the temperature plummets.

4. Assess Antifreeze

Your car relies on high-quality antifreeze to prevent fluids from freezing and damaging your engine. If it’s been more than two years since your last antifreeze flush, visit an auto shop to clear the system, and replace it with fresh fluid.

5. Check Your Battery Power

Being stranded in the snow with a dead battery is no situation any driver wants to experience. As such, you should make sure your current battery is providing a charge that’s reliable enough to get you through the winter. If the charge is questionable, it’s safer to replace it.

In addition to these tuneup tasks, it’s also important to take care of any other auto repair needs you may have put off. By taking the time to fix these problems immediately, you could avoid extensive damage that winter weather can cause, as well as improve your driving safety.

No matter which car services you need to get your vehicle ready for the cold, Dee’s Auto Care Specialists have the experience and resources you need to feel confident on the road.  Visit them online to learn more about the auto repair and preventive maintenance they offer at their shops in Winona, MN, as well as Onalaska and La Crosse, WI. You can also speak with a trusted mechanic by calling (608) 782-2530.

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