Winterizing your car is important. From the tires to the battery, from windshield wipers to filters, every part of the car is affected by snow, ice and cold temperatures. Surprisingly, the most important area to worry about is your coolant system.
You might think anything called coolant would be ready for colder temperatures. But not so. Extreme cold and bitter weather conditions take a toll. Every part of your cooling system needs to be in excellent running condition to ensure that your engine keeps running dependably.
The cooling system is critical to keeping your engine working. The engine, which heats up to amazingly high temperatures when you drive, is always in danger of overheating. Preventing this is the job of your car’s coolant system. Using a network of belts, fluids, and hoses, the system pumps antifreeze to cool the parts of the engine as you drive. Once you shut off the engine, it cools quite quickly.
This means you’ve got two extreme temperature situations going on during the winter: very high heat in the engine, and very low temperatures outside. When you run the engine, it gets very hot, when you turn it off it gets very cold.
A well-maintained coolant system reduces the jolt as the engine transitions from one extreme to the other. That means seasonal care and replacement of fluid, belts and hoses. Specifically, this involves:
- Flushing coolant every two or three years
- Checking the radiator pressure
- Inspecting hoses for signs of bulging or cracks
- Replacing an old water pump and thermostat as needed
Many people figure antifreeze will last for many years, but this isn’t true. Old, deteriorating coolant leads to oxidation and damage to your entire system. Replacing it regularly is an affordable way to ensure your car runs throughout the winter. Your cooling system as a whole is under less stress when the antifreeze is potent.
Trust Your Car to the Winter Experts
The team at Wiygul Automotive Clinic has been helping local drivers for over 40 winters. They can do a thorough inspection of your cooling system and recommend the proper maintenance.
Worried about costs? It is much more expensive to replace a damaged radiator, plus belts, pumps, and hoses. The economic approach is to get your coolant system inspected by experts and take their advice about winterizing.
Wiygul knows car maintenance is expensive. They work hard to keep their prices affordable. Over the years, they have earned a reputation for competitive pricing. They also list current special deals on their homepage. For even better savings, you can get a VIP card or sign up for the Wiygul 4 Life program.
When it’s time to winterize your coolant system, call for a free, no-obligation quote from the experts at Wiygul Automotive Clinic.
