Winterizing your Acura
Winterizing your Acura
Posted on December 10, 2021
Winter weather can be a burden on both drivers and vehicles. Freezing temperatures, ice, snow, and more can cause anxiety when driving, especially if your vehicle is not ready to handle the tough conditions. Winterizing your Acura will give you better security and safety on the road.
Freezing temperatures and massive snowfall are not unusual in Moncton and across Canada, so take the time in early fall to winterize your Acura before the cold temperatures arrive.
The Importance of Winterizing Your Acura
Winterizing your Acura is crucial for protecting the vehicle against harsh conditions, but it also incredibly important in terms of safety for you, your passengers, and other drivers on the road. 30% of Canadian car accidents occur on snowy or icy roads, and your car needs to be prepared to tackle the changing road conditions.
Winter Tires
Replacing your summer or all-season tires with winter tires is the first step in ensuring that your Acura gets the best possible traction in winter weather conditions. Snow tires feature specially formulated rubber that remains flexible even as the temperature drops, allowing them to get a better grip on the road. This increases traction and shortens braking distance. Snow tires also feature specialized tread that cuts better through snow and slush, reducing your vehicle's chance of fishtailing or slipping.
A Winter-Ready Tune-Up
If your car needs routine or deferred maintenance, it is important to get it done before winter arrives. Cold weather can make existing problems worse, such as a dying battery that refuses to start in the cold, and they could cause more trouble for you, and cost more money, down the road.
In addition to taking care of maintenance, ensure that all fluids are filled up, there are not any cracked hoses, your tires have appropriate pressure, and more.
Wiper Blades and Washer Fluid
One fluid that needs to be filled up is your windshield washer fluid. Be sure to pick a formula that is rated for extremely low temperatures and that will help melt the ice buildup on your windshield. In addition, check your wiper blades for rips and tears, replacing them if they begin leaving streaks. You do not want to struggle to see through your windshield in winter weather conditions.
Prepare an Emergency Kit
While you should always have an emergency kit on hand in your vehicle, it is even more important in the winter when being stranded becomes infinitely worse in cold weather. Your emergency kit should include flares or other emergency lights, jumper cables, extra fluids such as engine oil, blankets, gloves, hats, water, and more.
Winterizing Your Acura
When properly equipped, your Acura vehicle will perform well in winter weather conditions, especially with snow tires that keep a firm grip on the road. However, winterizing your vehicle before the cold temperatures and questionable weather hits is the most important step. Do not wait until the last minute, get snow tires on, perform maintenance, prepare an emergency kit, and be ready when the snow starts to fly.