Tips on car maintenance in winter
1. Necessary items
In addition to necessary inspections, some equipment that needs to be prepared in advance is also worth noting. Items that you don't usually care about, such as gloves, cold-proof clothing, dry cloth, dusters, sunglasses and fire extinguishers, may be of great help to drivers in the harsh environment of winter.
Although many people don’t need to wear heavy cold-proof equipment when driving, it is also necessary to have a set of cold-proof clothes and a pair of gloves in the car. These preparations can be used in case you need to change tires in ice and snow. It's like a life-saving straw.
Using a duster to remove dust and snow on the car is something every driver will do, but be careful not to use a wet cloth to wipe the car windows, as this will cause ice to form on the windows and make the windows harder to wipe. More flowers bloom, so it’s best to keep a dry cloth in the car in winter.
Sunny days after snow are all silvery white, which can easily cause optic nerve fatigue. Wearing sunglasses and taking timely rest can alleviate this. Winter winds are strong and the climate is dry. Some low-quality smokers casually abandon cigarette butts that are still burning. In addition, dry branches and dead leaves can easily enter the engine compartment, so a complete and effective fire extinguisher is also a must-have.
2. Necessary inspections
In the cold winter, the engine needs more protection. Not only do you need to check the engine lubricating oil number, but you also need to check the antifreeze in the water tank. If you use an all-season antifreeze, you can replace it every two years or so, but you need to check the freezing point.
Even fewer people pay attention to engine oil. Generally speaking, the internationally recognized classification standard is the SAE Society of Automotive Engineers classification. This standard clearly indicates the operating environment of engine oil.
The W on the oil barrel packaging represents winter. The smaller the numbers such as 0W, 5W, and 10W, the better the startup performance at low temperatures. For example, 0WW represents good lubricity and fluidity even at minus 30 degrees Celsius. .
3. Dealing with icing
If the car is washed or heavy snow melts in winter, the car windows and door key holes are easily frozen. We should dry the keyhole on the car door after washing the car, and also use a dry cloth to wipe away the water droplets around the door. You can also put a little lubricant in the keyhole to prevent the temperature from being too low and freezing at night and making it impossible to drive. Door.
On snowy and icy days, before and after turning on and off the wipers, you should wipe off the residual snow, ice and water on the wiper blades, and wipe the windshield clean to prevent the wiper blades and windshield from freezing. Together, if necessary, stop the vehicle at night and prop up the wiper blades to ensure they will not freeze. If your car is unfortunately frozen, don't rush to pour boiling water to thaw it, as this can easily damage parts due to sudden cooling and sudden heating.
If you want to remove ice, you can start the engine first, turn on the warm air in the car, and use a special ice and snow shovel for automobile glass to slowly remove ice from the cracks in the ice. If you don't have an ice and snow shovel, you can pour an appropriate amount of alcohol-based solvent on the wiper blade, and the ice will melt in a few minutes.
Once the skylight freezes, do not force the skylight to open, as this may easily damage the skylight motor and rubber sealing ring. Wait until the temperature inside the car rises until the sunroof glass and sealant frame thaw before opening.
Some people cover the windshield with newspapers or plastic films to prevent the windshield from freezing. If the temperature is extremely low, this method is likely to freeze the newspapers and plastic films on the glass, so it is not advisable. .
4. Low-temperature starting
In low-temperature conditions, many vehicles will encounter difficulty in ignition when starting, or sometimes suddenly stall while driving.
The correct response method is: it is best to control the time for starting the vehicle within 5 seconds, that is, do not turn the key or press the start switch for too long. If you fail to start it three times, you should stop it for a few minutes before continuing to start it, so as not to damage the battery.
In particularly cold weather, you can remove the battery and keep it indoors to keep warm, and then reinstall it when starting in the morning. Although this is a bit troublesome, it can ensure that the vehicle starts smoothly.
Due to the cold temperatures in winter, the lubricating oil will become difficult to flow due to increased viscosity. After starting the engine, drive slowly to warm it up. During this period, do not step on the accelerator suddenly, let alone allow the engine speed to be too high.
In addition, this preheating time does not need to be too long, as long as the pointer of the thermometer starts to rise.
5. Window defogging
Currently, many cars are equipped with front windshield defrost air outlets at the inner bottom of the front windshield. When using it, just turn on the air conditioner, adjust the gear to the defrost gear, and turn on the external circulation at the same time. Although many materials recommend blowing cold air against the front windshield to reduce the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the glass and achieve a defogging effect.
But from the effect point of view, the effect of using cold air is similar to that of using hot air. For defogging the rear window glass, you can turn on the rear windshield resistor defogger on the car. This function is also a standard configuration of most vehicles. The specific method of use is very simple. For most vehicles, you only need to find this button on the center control panel and Just press it.
In addition, you can buy a car-specific anti-fogging agent in the automotive supplies market. Before using this anti-fog agent, first clean the inside of the windshield, then spray an appropriate amount of anti-fog agent. When the anti-fog agent solidifies, wipe it clean with a clean towel. Anti-fogging agents can form a water-repellent layer between water molecules and the inner surface of the glass, thereby keeping the glass surface clean and preventing fogging.
6. Driving on the road
When driving in winter, starting and braking skills are also very important, especially for novices or friends who drive manual transmission cars. Thin ice forms on the road, which reduces the friction coefficient between the tires and the road, greatly reduces the adhesion, and makes it easy to slip or spin.
When driving a manual transmission vehicle, you must start softly and slowly, and "slowly lift the clutch and lightly step on the oil." On the one hand, this is to minimize the load on the engine when it has not reached normal operating temperature, and on the other hand, On the one hand, it also allows the tire to have a gradual heating process while it is still in a hard state before it heats up, which is good for the engine, tires and driving safety. The starting method of lightly stepping on the accelerator is also effective for driving automatic transmission vehicles.
If you still can't start, you need to improve the car's adhesion to the road. You can put grass, wooden boards or branches on the road, or install anti-skid chains. When it comes to gear selection, you should shift gears frequently when driving in winter. Just like driving a vehicle during the running-in period, you must pay attention to choosing the appropriate gear and matching the oil and separation. If the gear is too low or too high, it is easy to lose control of the car. This is because This is especially important when driving on ice and snow.
When starting on a slippery road or driving at medium to low speeds, it is best to choose a higher gear to avoid slippage caused by excessive driving force. When you first hit the road, try to keep the car running at a constant speed and avoid slamming on the gas or braking, especially on roads with ice and snow.
Refueling gently and slowing down slowly in advance are the principles of safe driving in winter. When driving on icy and snowy roads, keep driving in a straight line as much as possible and do not change lanes frequently. When driving on country roads, it is best to drive along the ruts and try to drive in the middle of the road.
When driving in winter, pay special attention to avoid snow and ice in the curve. If you cannot avoid it, you must downshift early and slow down to pass slowly. After the vehicle speed slows down, you should make wide or gentle turns. Do not turn sharply, nor brake or shift into neutral in the middle of the turn.
In winter, the brake fluid will become more viscous, which will affect the normal use of the brake system to a certain extent, thereby reducing the flexibility of the brake. The slippery ground will reduce the friction coefficient and thus reduce the friction coefficient. It can also cause brake failure. In order to keep the brake system in good condition, you should always check the amount of brake fluid to keep it within the normal range.
Adjust the tightness of the handbrake and be sure to apply the handbrake when parking. While driving, increase the distance between the front and rear vehicles appropriately to prevent the vehicle in front from braking suddenly. At the same time, pay attention to the distance from the vehicles on the left and right. What should be distinguished in particular is that for vehicles without ABS equipment, when decelerating and parking on icy and snowy roads, you should first quickly downshift one by one to use the "traction resistance" of the engine to decelerate, and then repeatedly and quickly press the brake pedal to stop smoothly.
For most vehicles with ABS equipment, you can shift to a low gear and use the "traction resistance" of the engine to slow down in advance. However, the brakes must be pressed to the bottom at once and the steering wheel must be controlled at the same time. Never use " "Point brake" method, otherwise the ABS will not work and it will be dangerous.
At the same time, don't forget to apply the brakes a few times before hitting the road and when you stop to rest and then hit the road again to avoid freezing and causing brake failure.