Winterize Your Volkswagen

The tips and suggestions below can help ensure that the safety and performance of your vehicle are performing optimally during the chilliest months of the year.

Test your vehicle battery. Winter weather is especially hard on batteries. During cold temperatures, it can take twice as much current to start your car than under normal conditions. It is important to have a dependable battery.
Inspect windshield wipers and function. Replace your wiper blades every year. Do not wait until they fall apart. Windshield wipers are crucial to your visibility while driving. It is important to ensure that you have a clear line of sight during those wintery days.
Inspect and maintain proper tire pressure. When the temperature gauge drops, it is common to have to add air in your tires. Since tire pressures can decrease about 1psi every 10 degrees, you may notice your tire indicator light coming on. Underinflated tires can increase braking time and could skid more easily on wet pavement. So get ahead of the game and check those tire pressures.
Inspect tire condition and tread life. Tire tread is designed to provide traction and control while on the road. If your tire tread life is low, this can cause dangerous driving conditions especially when it’s icy or wet. A good rule is to replace your tires at or above 4/32nds of tread life remaining. This measurement is just above the tires wear bar indicator, which measures at 3/32nds.
Inspect and top off fluid levels such as oil, windshield washer fluids, and coolant.
Coolant keeps your engine cool in warm weather and keeps it from freezing in cold weather. Draining the coolant and refilling the system removes dirt and rust particles that can clog up the cooling system and cause problems in summer and winter. Use only VW approved coolant. Other store-bought coolants can contaminate the system and cause damage to the vehicle’s cooling system components. Top off with distilled water only if needed.
Keep the gas tank at least half full.
Keep a safety kit in your vehicle that includes items such as a flashlight, batteries, jumper cables, roadside flares, ice scraper, warm blankets, water bottles, and a first aid kit.

We understand that having a safe and ready vehicle for the road is important. Please see us anytime during our service business hours for a FREE Winter Pit Stop.

Samantha Gomez

Service Drive Manager

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