Whether you love taking long drives in your car to explore new places or you use your vehicle to travel to and from work each day, keeping your car in the best shape is fundamental.
Car maintenance is especially important during winter. The cold and frosty weather can seriously damage a vehicle’s battery, engine, and filtration system.
Damage to your car’s internal system can reduce its lifespan and functionality, and may lead to costly repairs further down the line. Luckily, there are plenty of tools that will help you to maintain your car properly and resolve minor problems when they arise.
3 Things to Keep in Your Vehicle During Winter
There are a number of car maintenance tools and leisurely items that you can keep in your vehicle during winter to maximize your comfort and improve your car’s functionality.
Here are three things to keep in your vehicle this winter.
1. Jump Starters
Jump starters, also known as jump leads, are a winter essential. In cold weather, the risk of your car’s engine not starting properly is much higher. Therefore, it’s essential to have portable jump starters for winter.
Jump starters are an affordable tool that enables you to kickstart your vehicle’s engine from any location if it has died.
If your vehicle breaks down while you’re driving, you can connect your car to another vehicle via the jump leads. The other vehicle can then provide enough energy to get your engine started again so that you can continue your journey.
Note that if you are constantly having to use your jump starters and your engine keeps dying, you may need to replace the car battery or alternator.
2. Gloves
The next item in this list isn’t necessarily car related but it’s definitely a winter essential! Keep a pair of gloves in your vehicle’s glove box during the winter months in case you forget to put a pair on when you leave the house.
Even if you aren’t going to be outside for too long when you arrive at your destination, you can wear your gloves while you’re driving. During winter, leather or pleather steering wheels can become very cold, making them uncomfortable to grip. Your gloves will keep your hands nice and warm and will make traveling more comfortable for you.
3. Tire Pressure Gauge
As you drive, your vehicle’s tires can gradually start to lose pressure. This isn’t anything to worry about unless you notice a sudden significant drop in their pressure, which can indicate a puncture.
If your tires deflate below a certain level, a warning light will appear on your dashboard. Deflated tires can be a safety hazard so it’s important to take action when you notice this warning light.
Keeping a tire pressure gauge in your car enables you to pump your tires up from any location if necessary. The required tire pressure should be detailed in your driver’s manual.
