Cars and cold weather don’t necessarily mix, especially when a lack of proper maintenance is involved.
Jeremiah Novak, the owner of Novak’s Service Center in Manitowoc, says the biggest thing is “trust your mechanic.”
“They’re not lying to you when they say, hey, battery’s getting old, tires aren’t great,” Novak said. “I think we’ve probably had since the first snowfall four or five accidents where tires are kicked underneath the car because they’re going too fast or the tires are bald. They weren’t prepared for this kind of weather especially this last storm where it was all ice.”
Your vehicle’s battery is also a huge thing in winter.
“They fail in the winter, but really what actually destroys the battery or takes the life out of them is the humid summers,” the local auto expert explained. “We have both extremes in Wisconsin: we get super cold and get very humid. The batteries aren’t designed to go through both climates. So, it really takes a toll on them but you don’t realize it until you have those cold mornings when you need those cold-cranking amps to get going. So, definitely test the battery.”
Also, make sure your coolant is up to strength.
Other points to keep in mind are having the proper tread depth on your tires, and as the air in your tires gets colder, it contracts, leading to less pressure and resulting in the tires becoming underinflated.
The service center operator advises having an emergency kit in your vehicle, charging your phone, and having a plan if you’re traveling somewhere.
Novak was a guest last Thursday morning on WOMT’s After Further Review with Jason and Tina Prigge.
