3 car maintenance points and precautions to prepare for winter

Winter is just as bad for cars as it is for people. When the temperature drops, the road surface freezes, making it easier to slip. Batteries also don't do well in cold temperatures.

Especially in winter, when the road surface is frozen, the possibility of slipping and causing an accident is extremely high. And in areas where temperatures often fall below freezing, even if you perform the same maintenance as in summer, trouble cannot be prevented. When driving on snowy roads, etc., snow-melting agents adhere to the underside of the vehicle, which may cause rust.

So, this time, we will introduce preparations for winter, maintenance methods, and points to be aware of in an easy-to-understand manner.

Contents

How does cold weather affect cars?

The car can run without problems even when the temperature drops. However, the risk of accidents increases due to changes in the surrounding environment such as the road surface. Road conditions are the most important thing to watch out for when driving in winter. If the road is frozen due to snow, frost, rain, etc., normal tires will quickly slip.

Even in areas where it doesn't snow in winter, the roads on bridges and other areas are prone to freezing. If you drive as usual, the steering wheel may be taken and the car may slip, resulting in a large-scale accident involving other cars.

Batteries are also vulnerable to cold. Therefore, it is easier for the battery to rise than in autumn or spring, when the temperature is relatively stable. If you enjoy skiing or snowboarding, you may have experienced that your smartphone's battery drains extremely quickly when it gets cold. That's because smartphones also run on batteries. Smartphone batteries are "lithium-ion batteries", but the same is true for 12V lead batteries used in cars, and the battery performance cannot be maximized in temperatures below freezing. The battery is charged and discharged by the sulfuric acid in the electrolyte sticking to and separating from the lead plates. And when the temperature drops extremely, the activity of the electrolyte in the battery decreases, so the power that can be used decreases, and it becomes difficult to charge. In other words, it can be said that the most important points to keep in mind when using a car in winter are "tires" and "batteries". Based on the above two points, I will introduce the points to be careful before winter comes.

Smartphone batteries are "lithium-ion batteries", but the 12V lead-acid batteries used in cars are also the same, and the battery performance cannot be maximized in temperatures below freezing. The battery is charged and discharged by the sulfuric acid in the electrolyte sticking to and separating from the lead plates. And when the temperature drops extremely, the activity of the electrolyte in the battery decreases, so the power that can be used decreases, and it becomes difficult to charge.

In other words, it can be said that the most important points to keep in mind when using a car in winter are "tires" and "batteries".

In light of the above two points, I will introduce the points to be aware of before winter comes.

Three Precautions to Take Before Winter Comes!

Because it's too late to wait until the real winter comes, let's start winter preparations before winter sets in. By making your car winter-specific, you can safely get through the full-scale winter.

I'll show you exactly what to do.

As I mentioned earlier, the road surface in winter is easy to freeze, and if you drive on a frozen road surface with normal tires, the possibility of slipping increases significantly. Therefore, we recommend that you change to studless tires in advance.

Studless tires are tires made for driving on winter roads. There are more fine grooves than normal tires, and the grooves themselves tend to be deeper than normal tires. In addition, the rubber is also made soft, and by sticking perfectly to the road surface, slippage is suppressed.

Student tires are manufactured by various manufacturers and come in a wide range of prices and sizes, so choose the studless tire that fits your car and budget. Having studless tires means that you have to store two types of tires: normal tires and studless tires. You can buy wheels exclusively for studless, or you can replace only the tire part.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each, so I will explain a little.

[When storing studless tires as a set with wheels]

■Benefits

■ Disadvantages

[When only studless tires are stored]

■Benefits

■ Disadvantages

There are such advantages and disadvantages.

Either method is fine, but I personally recommend storing the wheels separately from the normal tires. The reason is that the work is easy, and the work of removing and attaching the tire from the wheel will inevitably cause damage to the tire.

The tire is attached to the wheel with a strong force so that air does not leak. The task of forcibly removing the tire with even stronger force is tire replacement. This will inevitably damage the tires.

Do you know the tire with white lettering on the side? Those letters are called "white letters," and they are so-called decorations that make the tires look stylish. If you only change tires, you have to bear such a risk twice a year.

However, some people only replace the tires, so it's a matter of preference which one to choose.

When storing tires, dry them and store them flat if they have wheels, or stand them upright if they have wheels. At that time, it would be even better if you put a cover on it to prevent it from getting dusty.

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We also sell covers for each tire. It is recommended that the inside of the car does not get dirty when loading it into the car.

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Next is the battery check. Measure the battery voltage before winter comes. And if it gets old and the voltage of the battery is down, you can reduce the risk of the battery going up by replacing it early.

As the battery ages and deteriorates, the voltage gradually drops. Typical life expectancy is about 3-4 years, depending on the type of battery. As I explained earlier, battery performance drops dramatically in temperatures below or near freezing.

In other words, problems that would not occur if there was sufficient voltage are more likely to occur if the battery has deteriorated and the voltage has dropped.

If it's new but the voltage is dropping, you can also tell that you haven't ridden it too much and haven't charged it enough. In such a case, let's leave it to the maintenance shop for a day and have it slowly charged. Fast charging can charge the battery, but fast charging will damage the battery.

If you have time, you can fully charge the battery without damaging it by using the "constant voltage charging method" that charges slowly. And such a person must also think about how to ride in the future. If you don't drive much or only ride nearby, why not make a conscious effort to go out once a week and go for a drive that also serves as a recharge.

Especially during the year-end and New Year holidays, there are many car troubles, and it can be said that the road service is also busy. We recommend that you check it in advance and replace it if necessary so that you do not have to wait for a long time in the cold.

There is a battery checker as a way to check yourself without asking at the store. It's easy to use and the price is not so high, so why not buy it?

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Let's prevent rust from below before winter comes. Rust prevention is also called chassis black, but if you do not do this work in areas where it snows, the underside will be full of rust. There are various causes of rust, but on roads where it snows or freezes in winter, snow-melting agents are sprinkled on the roads to prevent vehicles from slipping. If this snow melting agent adheres to the underside of the car, it will cause rust.

The rigidity of the car is mainly determined by the framework called the chassis. And when the chassis, which is the framework, rusts, the strength goes down. There is no problem with a little rust, but if the rust progresses, holes will form in the iron. It can be said that the strength is considerably reduced.

In addition, if the bolts on the underside become rusty, they will stick and be difficult to remove. If you unscrew the bolt head while trying to remove it, it will be difficult just to remove the bolt. Therefore, if you are customizing your car, we recommend that you proactively apply rust prevention to the underside.

Even if you don't, you can say that the underside of the car should be rust-proofed to use it for a long time.

It's hard to wash the underside. Even if you wash your car frequently, I don't think there are many people who wash only the visible range of the body. If you do rust prevention, it will not rust even if you do not wash the car frequently, so it is recommended.

If you live in a region where it doesn't snow, but you often go to cold regions for skiing in the winter, how about going there?

You can also do the rust prevention on the underside yourself. You will need to jack it up, but rust prevention itself is easy, so let's try it.

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What should I do for winter maintenance?

In addition to the above three points, maintenance in preparation for winter is also important. Let's take a look at what maintenance should be done.

In the summer, the sun hasn't set yet at around 7pm, and it's bright early in the morning. However, in winter, the sun rises late and it is dark by around 6:00 in the evening, so be sure to check the lights. Also, since the lights are on longer than in summer, the lights are also easier to turn off. Checking your lights is very easy, just make sure all the lights on your car are on.

The lights to check are as follows.

It doesn't matter in which order it's easier to do.

Although you may think that turn signals and hazards are the same, be sure to do both because the circuits that turn them on are different. The blinkers are lit but the hazard lights are not lit, or vice versa. Continuing to drive without the lights on is very dangerous and can cause an accident.

Let's say your brake lights are out. If you drive without noticing it, even if you step on the brakes, the vehicle behind you may be rear-ended without noticing it. Also, if either the left or right small ball is cut, there is a good chance that you will be mistaken for a motorcycle and be pulled over.

In order to prevent such a thing from happening, it is important to check it every day if possible, or even if it is not possible, regularly.

In particular, small bulbs have the longest lighting time among lights and are easy to cut. The exchange itself is not that difficult. You can prepare it in advance in case it runs out.

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The underside is surprisingly not cleaned very often, but after driving on snowy or icy roads, we recommend that you wash it consciously. The reason is that snow-melting agents are sprinkled on snowy roads, as I mentioned earlier, and if the snow-melting agent adheres to iron, it will cause rust.

Washing the underside applies not only to snowy roads, but also to those who often go to the sea in the summer or live near the sea. Salty winds from the sea tend to cause rust, and such cars tend to have a lot of rust underneath. Once rust has formed, you can apply anti-corrosion agents to prevent further deterioration, but you cannot restore the iron to its original state.

Therefore, it can be said that it is important to be conscious of not letting it rust anyway.

In addition to the implementation of anti-corrosion, it is necessary to wash the underside together with the car wash after driving on snowy roads or returning from the sea. You can clean the underside yourself or you can do it in a car wash. By choosing to wash the underside of the car at the car wash, you can wash the underside.

A car with a clean undercarriage looks great even if it is old. Wash it regularly and keep it clean.

You can wash the underside without applying shampoo, but it is recommended to use a spray type car shampoo to make it easier to remove stuck dirt, and then spray it under the car with a high pressure washer to blow it off. .

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Before winter comes, it's important to check the expiry date of your puncture repair agent and check the air pressure of your spare tire. On snowy roads, it is difficult to see what has fallen on the road.

In such cases, a simple puncture repair is required. That's why you need a puncture repair agent and a spare tire. New cars always come with puncture repair compound or a spare tire. Many modern cars use a puncture repair agent to reduce the weight of the vehicle, and older cars are equipped with a spare tire.

In addition to checking whether the car is equipped with it, if it is a puncture repair agent, it has not expired, and if it is a spare tire, check that it has enough air. prize. If these inspections are not performed, you will not be able to use the equipment in an emergency. If the road service is busy, even if you call, it will take a long time to respond and you will feel uneasy.

If you can solve a certain amount of trouble by yourself, you can ease your anxiety, and if something happens, you can deal with it yourself.

We recommend that you check in advance whether you can use it.

Puncture repair compound can be purchased at a dealer, but you can also use generic products. The point to note is that if you use a puncture repair agent for light vehicles on a normal car, the liquid may not be enough. Choose a puncture repair agent that fits the size of your car.

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Also, if you leave the spare tire in the car without using it, the air pressure will decrease and you won't be able to use it in an emergency. Therefore, it is necessary to check the air pressure regularly.

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In winter, the temperature is low, and the engine temperature will start from a fairly low state. The optimum temperature for the engine is about 80°C, and it can be said that it is difficult to achieve maximum performance at temperatures below that. Therefore, the load on the engine can be reduced by idling for a few minutes after starting the engine to warm up the engine.

Then why can't the maximum performance be achieved when the engine temperature is low? The reason for this is that the lower the temperature, the less efficient the combustion. In an engine, a mixture of air and fuel is compressed and exploded under high pressure. At that time, a certain amount of heat is required, and if the temperature of the engine is low, it is difficult to explode, and even if it explodes, it will not be possible to burn all the air-fuel mixture.

For that reason, the fuel ratio is increased and burned until the engine warms up. In other words, the fuel consumption is bad when the engine is started. And if you run while the temperature is low, the fuel consumption will be worse because the rotation rate will be forcibly increased.

Also, if the temperature of the engine oil is low, it will be difficult to lubricate the engine. In other words, it can be said that you should warm up to improve fuel efficiency and reduce engine damage.

For that reason, it is important to consciously warm up and create a state that is gentle on the engine.

Of course, the engine won't break just because you didn't warm it up. However, if you want to keep driving for a long time, it may be better to keep the engine in good condition.

Before starting the engine, open the engine compartment and make sure there are no animals in it if possible. Like humans, animals also get cold in winter. Therefore, I sometimes sleep in the warm engine room.

If you start the engine without noticing, the animal may be caught in the belt and a catastrophe may occur. Cleaning in such condition is also brought to the dealer. There are times when the goods are received in such a miserable state that they cannot be seen.

It is rare for relatively large animals such as dogs to enter, but cats and rats often do. There are cases where there is food debris on the engine cover, and there are cases where the check lamp is lit by biting the code if it is a mouse.

Also, if you can smell a beast from the heating vent, it is highly likely that an animal has entered at night, and there may be a lot of animal hair on the air conditioner filter.

In addition to preventing animals from getting caught in the engine when starting the engine, if there is evidence of an animal entering, take precautions such as putting up a net to prevent animals from entering the engine room in the first place. It can be said that some ingenuity is required.

If animals are going to get in, how about installing such a device near the parking lot to make it difficult for animals to approach?

What kind of maintenance should I do before going to cold regions such as Tohoku?

Even though you live in an area where it doesn't snow, there are probably people who travel to Hokkaido every year. Maintenance is especially required in areas where temperatures are below freezing. Things that you don't have to worry about in other regions can cause trouble.

What kind of maintenance is required?

In areas with relatively warm winters, you don't need to worry about coolant or washer fluid. However, in areas where temperatures are consistently below freezing, coolant and washer fluid may freeze. I think many people know that coolant is antifreeze, that is, it is a liquid that does not freeze even at sub-zero temperatures.

Coolant is

There are two main types.

Super long life coolant is a coolant that can maintain high performance for a long time, so I don't think you need to worry too much, but in the case of long life coolant, there is a high possibility that it will deteriorate quickly and become more likely to freeze. It can be said that

In addition, the long-life coolant that is handled at the maintenance shop is used by adding water to the high-concentration undiluted solution. And if the water percentage is too high or too low, the freezing temperature will be too high.

If you check yourself and add water because it is a little less, it is quite possible that the concentration will gradually decrease and freeze in winter. In order to prevent this from happening, it is important to replace it at the appropriate time and keep it in good condition.

If you are going to replace the coolant yourself, use the coolant that has been diluted in advance, because if you make a mistake in the ratio, the freezing temperature will be higher.

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Also, there's no rule as to what must be in the washer fluid. It can be just plain water, or it can be a special liquid. However, if you don't use a washer fluid that doesn't freeze even at sub-zero temperatures, it will freeze when removing dirt from the windshield in areas such as the Tohoku region, hindering visibility.

If these fluids freeze, they may cause pipes to explode or freeze during use, causing accidents and troubles. Therefore, when traveling to cold regions, adequate preparation is required.

When choosing a washer fluid, it is necessary to check the temperature it can withstand before purchasing.

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If your car is a diesel car, you must also pay attention to the light oil that is the fuel. If you drive with light oil that is not suitable for cold regions, in the worst case, the light oil may freeze. Therefore, it is important to refuel diesel vehicles locally as much as possible.

There are a wide variety of diesel oils, from Special No. 1 to Special No. 3, and the differences are mainly in the flash point and pour point. Special No. 1 has a flash point of 50°C or higher and a pour point of +5°C or lower, while Special No. 3 has a flash point of 45°C or higher and a pour point of -30°C or lower, making Special No. 3 more resistant to cold than Special No. 1. That's what I understand.

Different types of light oil are sold depending on the time of year. Special No. 1, which has a high flash point and pour point, is sold in hot seasons, while Special No. 3, which has a low flash point and pour point, is sold in cold seasons. .

However, in regions where the temperature is not so cold and in regions where the temperature drops below freezing every day, the types of products that are sold at the same time are different. It becomes.

Also, if you don't drive a lot, the fuel you put in at the beginning of autumn may still be there, and the fuel itself may freeze if you don't refuel at the site.

For that reason, when traveling from Kinki to Tohoku in a diesel car, reduce fuel in advance and refuel locally. Even if you use less fuel, if you run on the very last minute of fuel, you can run out of gas and it is dangerous. Therefore, it is good to calculate so that it will be about half at the site and add fuel with a little margin.

And by refueling locally, you can prevent troubles such as the engine not starting due to the fuel that was refueled in advance and the fuel that was refueled locally mixed. Gasoline cars don't require such precautions, so it's easy to forget, but if the fuel pipe breaks, fuel will leak and cause a big problem.

To prevent this from happening, you need to be well prepared when going to a cold region.

Introducing 3 items to prepare for winter!

So far, we have introduced preparations and maintenance methods for winter, but we will also introduce items that you should prepare for winter.

Because the battery is easy to run out in winter, prepare a booster cable or a jumping starter to deal with it when the battery runs out. It would be nice if you could contact the road service and have them rush to you immediately, but if they are busy, you may have to wait for more than an hour.

A dead battery means you may have to wait in the car in the cold without the engine running. In addition, if the battery runs out in a place where radio waves do not reach, or if the battery of the mobile phone runs out, it is safe if you can handle it yourself.

Also, with a booster cable, you'll have to get help from another car, but with a jumping starter, you can do it yourself. Mobile batteries and light jumping starters are also sold at reasonable prices. How about buying one just in case something happens?

It can be said that studless tires are an essential item for driving on winter roads. However, there are surprisingly many people who do not have studless tires, and it is very dangerous to drive on frozen roads with normal tires. Also, use tire chains on road surfaces where even studless tires may slip.

However, studless tires can also be used as normal tires if the treads become shallow or the deterioration progresses. Tires are expensive, but they are essential in winter and can be used in summer, so we recommend that you actively use them.

Even if you look for tire chains in the middle of winter, they may be sold out, so we recommend purchasing early.

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The triangular display board is an item for signaling other cars to be careful because the car is stopped due to an accident. By installing it behind or in front of the car and calling attention in advance, you can prevent secondary disasters in advance.

Especially in places with poor visibility, such as curves, where you can't see the following vehicle, placing a warning triangle will be very useful. If there were no warning triangles, there would be more accidents due to collisions with cars on curves.

It is an item to prevent that from happening, and it is used as a warning display when something happens.

There is no obligation to carry the triangular display board, but it is an item that is required to be used. If you don't have one, it's a good idea to have one.

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Be especially careful of frozen roads in winter!

The most important thing to watch out for in winter is the road conditions. As I have said many times, there are many things that you do not notice even if the road surface is icy, and the moment you apply the brakes, the car may slip and cause an accident.

You need to be especially careful on bridges, and in the early morning, only the roads on the bridges may be frozen. Even if the road does not freeze during the day, the ice may not have melted yet and a thin film of ice may form on the road in the morning, so be especially careful when driving in the morning.

Those who have had accidents do not do so on purpose. No matter how careful you are, accidents can happen. In addition, it is not always possible to drive fully prepared for the road surface conditions that change from day to day.

The important thing is not to cause an accident, but if you cause an accident due to your carelessness or the carelessness of the other party, it is not important to have a firm grasp of how to deal with it. Is not it.

Especially in places where cars are running at high speed, such as highways, if you panic and don't do anything, there is a possibility that the following car will collide with you, which is dangerous. To prevent this from happening, we must know who to contact and who to call for help in the event of an accident, and must secure our own safety by means of warning triangles and flares.

If you haven't done so yet, why don't you start by registering your insurance company's phone number on your mobile phone?

In order to avoid slipping accidents, it is important to drive carefully and understand the situation of the surrounding cars. However, no matter how careful you are, it is meaningless if the car slips with a little steering wheel operation. And even if you use studless tires, depending on the condition of the tires, you may not be able to demonstrate the studless performance.

A studless tire is not a universal tire that can be used forever. It will deteriorate over time, and the more mileage you drive, the less the grooves will be. Therefore, in addition to being careful when driving, it is important to understand the condition of studless tires.

What to check for studless tires

These two.

Winter tires have a sign in the groove, called a platform, that is separate from the slip sign. And when this sign comes out, the studless function will drop significantly.

Another feature is the softness of the rubber. Studless tires with hardened rubber may slip on icy roads. A special tool is required to measure the hardness of rubber, but it can also be determined by the date of manufacture.

It is said that studless tires become hard about four years after they are manufactured, and after four years even normal tires will need to be replaced.

Studless tires used in winter have a deeper tread than normal tires, and people tend to use them for many years because they look like they will still be usable. Isn't it important?

Summary

When preparing your car for winter, changing to studless tires and understanding the battery status are the most important things. If both are broken, there is a high possibility of trouble, and in the worst case, it will lead to a big accident involving other people and cars. In order to prevent this from happening, it can be said that advance preparations before the full-scale winter comes are important.

Basically, car maintenance is the same in both winter and summer. In any season, it is necessary to check the lights, check the tools necessary for puncture trouble, and wash the car regularly.

However, there are many people who go back to their parents' homes or go on trips during the year-end and New Year holidays, and if you do nothing, the chances of getting into an accident or getting into trouble will increase.

In order to enjoy a comfortable drive, why don't you check the condition of your car once when you change to studless tires?