Watch Out for Six Winter Vehicle Problems

 This winter in New York and much of the Northeast has been intense to say the least. Typically during this time of the year and in such weather conditions the roadways get slick or icy. Cars that are parked outside can of course be covered with snow and require warming and scraping the ice off of the windshield before being able to drive. In such conditions it is not just your spirit and morale that suffers the effects. There are several cold weather related issues that can seriously damage your car.

Be Prepared This Winter
It’s important to keep these factors in mind so you can identify and remedy the issues before they become serious safety problems:
1. Windshield wipers: It’s important to change your windshield wipers as soon as you notice that they are not cleaning the windshield properly. An example of this is when the wipers start leaving streaks. This means that they are beginning to get worn out. Windshield wipers are critical to your safety on the road because better wipers mean better visibility.
2. Bad tires: There are tires designed for winter weather. Drivers shouldn’t be using summer or even all-weather tires in harsh winter conditions. This is because summer tires develop problems that may lead to poor performance when temperatures fall below 44 degrees. Ice on the roadway can weaken summer tires leading to poor handling and braking. Also, remember that a tire’s air pressure falls by one PSI with every 10-degree drop in the temperature. Check tire pressure often. Keep a pressure gauge in your car as part of your winter emergency kit.
3. Fuel lines: Remember to fill up more often. An empty or near-empty gas tank can cause problems. This is because moist air in an empty tank can freeze causing ice to accumulate in the fuel lines.
4. Battery failure: Extreme cold drains power from a battery making it more difficult to start the car. Make sure you test your battery often. That way you won’t head out to your car and find a dead battery. Keeping vehicles in a garage is one way to ensure that it will start in freezing weather. However, if you don’t have access to a garage, check the health of your car battery to ensure you’re not going to get stranded when you least expect it. A typical battery lasts about three years.
5. Spark plug problems: As temperatures continue to dip, a bad spark plug will affect your ability to start.
6. Cooling system: Make sure the antifreeze mix in your vehicle is the right one. This will also depend on your location. For most vehicles, you will need a 50-50 mix of coolant to water because this mix has a lower freezing point.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. For over 43 years our skilled personal injury lawyers have been helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a man who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com