We have a freeze watch heading our way in Lubbock and the surrounding counties this weekend. This means that after we’ve protected our plants, outdoor water faucets, and our pets, we turn now to our parked cars.
In preparation for the winter weather hitting West Texas, it’s always a good idea to make sure your vehicles are ready to face the cold. Nobody wants to be running late when it’s 20 degrees out only for your car to fail to start or the tires to look more deflated than your child when they learn they still have to go to school.
Read More: Ultimate Guide To Lubbock Snowy Road Safety
Lucky for us, we have the experts to turn to when getting our cars winter ready is a need rather than a want. So, I turned to the Texas-based automotive professionals at The Car Pro Show.
Get Your Lubbock Cars Winter-Ready
According to the Car Pro himself, Jerry Reynolds, every car owner should check their tires first when the temperatures dip below freezing. Driving with deflated tires not only hurts the mileage, but it’s also a massive risk when on the road since traction is greatly reduced.
Your next step should be to check your fluids. Your radiator depends on antifreeze to, you know, prevent the important bits under the hood from freezing during cold temperatures, so make sure there aren’t any cracks or leaks that could turn a bad day into an expensive nightmare.
If you’re curious, I found this great step-by-step blog from AMSOIL for checking your car’s fluid levels right at home.
Speaking of cracks, cold temperatures can make parts of your car very brittle, especially if there are small cracks or fractures already present. If an obsession with kettle chips has taught me anything about brittle things, it’s that they can snap in an instant.
Fully Charged and Fully Heated
Batteries and heating are the final topics we’ll cover here but you can check out the full list of expert winter weather car tips from The Car Pro website.
Take extra care of your car’s battery. Get rid of any crud and corrosion around the terminals, and have it tested before the next freeze. There are several places around Lubbock like O’Reilly and Auto Zone that offer free battery testing.
A dead car battery is bad enough on a beautiful sunny day. It’s another story when it’s 25 degrees and your fingers are numb.
Numb fingers shouldn’t be a problem, by the way, if your vehicle’s heating system is functioning as it should. In fact, I recently had my car looked at for AC repair during the hot summer months. Imagine if it was reversed and I couldn’t see out of any window because the hot air coming out of my vents was the equivalent of me blowing gently on the glass.
No matter what, you can think of the steps taken to make your car winter-ready as a form of insurance: a moderate commitment now to avoid costly disasters later.
Now, let’s all thank Jerry Reynolds, the Car Pro, for these great tips, and don’t forget that you can listen to The Car Pro Show every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on KFYO, and on the free KFYO app.
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