Fall Car Maintenance: 8 Things to Do Before Winter Arrives

As temperatures drop, your vehicle faces increased demands on its ignition, battery, cooling system, and tires. Taking care of these items in fall — before the cold hits — prevents breakdowns at the worst possible time.

1. Test Your Battery

Cold weather dramatically increases the cranking power required to start an engine — and it reduces the available power your battery can deliver. A battery that barely passed last winter may not survive another one. Get it load-tested now.

2. Check Spark Plugs

Worn spark plugs struggle more in cold weather. If you're within a few thousand miles of your replacement interval, change them before winter. Cold-start misfires become much more common with old plugs.

3. Inspect Your Coolant (Antifreeze)

Coolant protects your engine from freezing. Test the freeze protection level with an inexpensive tester from any auto parts store. Most coolant should protect to at least -34°F.

4. Check Tire Tread and Consider All-Season or Winter Tires

Tires lose 1 PSI for every 10°F of temperature drop. Winter also requires more tread for safe stopping on wet or icy roads. 4/32" of remaining tread is the minimum for winter safety.

5. Inspect Belts and Hoses

Cold makes rubber brittle. Inspect serpentine belts for cracking and coolant hoses for soft spots or swelling. A broken serpentine belt leaves you stranded immediately.

6. Check Wiper Blades and Fluid

Switch to winter washer fluid that won't freeze on the windshield. Inspect wiper blades — they should clear a clean arc without streaking.

7. Oil Change

If you're using conventional oil, ensure you're running the right viscosity for winter. Most modern vehicles use 0W-20 or 5W-30, which flow well in cold temperatures.

8. Brakes

Fall is a good time to inspect brake pad thickness. You want full confidence in your brakes going into winter conditions.

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