Tips for Winterizing Your Vehicle

Winter is a wonderful time of the year. The freshly fallen snow blanketing the back roads of Yorkville, NY, is a pretty sight and a clear indication that the colder months of winter are finally upon us.And with them comes the need for preparation to properly winterize and protect your vehicle against the freezing cold.

At United Auto Sales of Utica, our service team is here to help you itemize your winter service checklist so that your vehicle is properly winterized before the start of the season. With so many things to look out for, it's important to rely on our factory-trained team of service technicians to help you accurately diagnose and fix your vehicle using the proper parts.

Oil & Filter Change
Test the Battery
Check Fluids Under the Hood
Rotate & Inspect Tires
Brake Inspection

Oil & Filter Change

If you neglect to change your oil change before the start of the winter season, your motor oil will become viscous and morph into a mixture of crude and coagulated fluid that's unusable. Cold weather tends to thicken up oil, which is why we recommend getting your oil changed using a lighter-weight oil.

Refer to your owner's manual for specific oil viscosity info and be sure to top off your engine using a lightweight, extra-durable synthetic mixture that's certified for cold weather conditions. It's recommended that you also replace and change the oil filter, which can help improve engine responsiveness and keep potentially damaging particles from entering the oil stream.

Test the Battery

All vehicles require a strong car battery to fire up and start when the temperature is below freezing. Without a positively robust electrical connection, your vehicle's engine won't stand a chance of turning over. The key to avoiding mishaps like these is to test your battery now before the start of winter.

If you have an electronic multi-meter that measures the flow of voltage passing through a circuit, you can accurately identify whether your battery is good or bad. But even if you don't, we're happy to test your battery for free and help you find a suitable replacement if it turns out you have a bad cell.

Check Fluids Under the Hood

Under the hood is where all the magic happens that helps push your vehicle into momentum. Before hitting the roads in Rome, NY, this winter, you must get under the hood to inspect your fluid tanks - particularly your motor oil, coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, windshield wiper fluid, etc.

If any of your engine's reservoirs look low or appear to be lacking sufficient fluid, be sure to top them off using OEM-recommend products. At United Auto Sales of Utica, we've got all of the best parts and genuine products for you to use to enhance the performance of your vehicle this winter.

Rotate & Inspect Tires

Tire inspection - including a tire rotation, wheel alignment, and tire tread evaluation - is a critical step to properly winterizing your vehicle in Whitesboro, NY. You must take the time and be diligent while inspecting your tires to ensure no hidden bald spots or screws are protruding out of the sidewalls. If you have them, this is also the proper time to swap your all-season tires out for winter tires (i.e., snow tires).

Brake Inspection

Your vehicle's ability to stop is paramount to the safety of your passengers as well as others on the roads in Herkimer, NY. We offer comprehensive brake inspection services for drivers who want a full-systems check of the entire braking system - including your brake pads, calipers, rotors, fluid, and associated hardware. By checking your brakes now, you'll be able to feel confident in their ability to slow you down when the heavy snow turns to ice, and then slush, and back again.

Contact Us to Learn More

If you're in the market for service this winter, the experts at United Auto Sales of Utica are here to help winterize your vehicle using the latest tools and advanced technology. In addition to using OEM parts and dealership-certified products, our service department is prepared to go the extra mile to help you save on your next service appointment with special financing deals and service promotions.

For more information and to speak with a dedicated service representative, please call or contact us online at United Auto Sales of Utica to learn more about tips for winterizing your vehicle!