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You know it’s going to get cold and nasty in a couple of months. Is your car up to the rigors of winter driving?

Here’s a quick checklist to go over:

Brakes:  Your brakes are really important when the roads are nasty and slick. Are you noticing problems like longer stopping distances, vibration while braking or a tendency for one or more wheels to lock up and skid? Not good. Have them checked!

Motor oil: It’s a good idea to go into winter with a crankcase full of clean motor oil. Synthetic oil, in particular, doesn’t thicken at colder temperatures and can easily make it to the engine’s upper end on a cold startup.

Lubrication: Make sure that things like your door and hood hinges are well-lubricated before winter. Here are a couple of hacks for you…spray cooking oil along the doors’ weatherstripping rubber to prevent the doors from freezing up after an ice storm. You can also spray a light lubricant on a car key and insert the key into the lock a few times to lubricate the lock tumblers.

Cooling system: Obviously your coolant prevents freezeups as well as boilovers. It’s a really good idea to have your cooling system checked, including the radiator, hoses, hose clamps and water pump, before the weather gets bad. If you’re not sure when your last coolant flush was, it’s easy for a technician check the condition of the antifreeze using a hygrometer.

Check your battery and charging system, check your wipers, keep a little trouble bag in your vehicle and be ready for winter this year…and make an appointment with us at Master Auto Repair in St Louis, MO!