Prepare Your Car for Winter Weather
Highlights
- Avoid dangerous winter travel problems by planning ahead.
- Have maintenance service on your vehicle as recommneded.
- Check the antifreeze level.
- Keep the gas tank near full to help avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines.
Prepare for extremely cold weather every winter—it’s always a possibility. There are steps you can take in advance for greater wintertime safety in your home and in your car.
Prepare Your Car for Winter
You can avoid many dangerous winter travel problems by planning ahead. Have maintenance service on your vehicle as often as the manufacturer recommends. In addition, every fall:
- Have the radiator system serviced, or check the antifreeze level yourself with an antifreeze tester. Add antifreeze, as needed.
- Replace windshield-wiper fluid with a wintertime mixture.
- Replace any worn tires, and check the air pressure in the tires.
During winter, keep the gas tank near full to help avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines.
- Antifreeze
- Windshield wiper fluid (wintertime mixture)
- Heater
- Brakes
- Ignition
- Emergency flashers
- Exhaust
- Tires (air pressure and wear)
- Fuel
- Oil
- Brake fluid
- Defroster
- Battery
- Radiator
- Download this checklist.
Checklist
Keep your car fueled and in good working order. Be sure to check the following:
- Page last updated December 7, 2007
- Content source: National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH)/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Coordinating Center for Environmental Health and Injury Prevention (CCEHIP)
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