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Winters can be quite hard on your car especially if the necessary precautions aren’t taken. Since your car is under a lot of stress during the cold months, a lot can go wrong. You may lose power in the battery overnight or end up with a cracked radiator hose, a broken alternator belt, etc. These issues are not expensive to fix, but they are a huge inconvenience, particularly if you are on the highway and there’s no mechanic in sight.

To avoid these issues with your car in winter, it is best to prepare it for those cold harsh months in advance. A few tweaks in the right areas will get your car through the winter with ease. Here’s what you need to do to prep your car for winter:

Insulate Your Battery

A dead battery in the morning can set you back a couple of minutes in the morning when leaving for work. To avoid the hassle, it is best to insulate your battery. You can either park your car in an insulated garage. If you don’t have one, a battery insulator will work just fine. It is a great investment to keep your battery in top shape. Also have a mechanic test your alternator just to be sure its charging properly.

Examine the Belts and Hoses

Belts and hoses can get hard during the winter days. If they get hard enough, they crack. A broken belt or hose can be a problem if you are stranded somewhere. In addition, if the broken belt is the one that controls the timing of the engine, it can result in expensive engine overhaul. Broken hoses are an issue because the coolant will leak and the engine will overheat and blow a gasket, etc

Change the Engine Oil

The engine oil is already quite thick and in the winter it gets thicker. Thick engine oil will not lubricate the parts properly until it’s fully warm. To counter this problem you can either have your mechanic swap the thick oil with one which has a low viscosity. You may also buy an engine warmer for your vehicle. It will heat the oil to a good viscosity and the entire engine will get sufficient lubrication from the start.

Keep these tips in mind and prepare your car for winter.