When preparing your car for winter it is not enough to change the wheels and antifreeze fluid. There are many vulnerable parts and places in your car that do not tolerate low temperatures and harsh weather conditions.
We have prepared a hint, what you should pay attention to when preparing your car for winter. We will tell you what places you should periodically lubricate and why.
Table of Contents
Side windows and guides
De-icing reagents and slush not only stain glasses, but also penetrate inside the lifting mechanism. As a result, it ceases to properly cope with its functions: it works with difficulty, scratches and creaks horribly.
If you do not take care of the protection in advance, then one “beautiful” moment the mechanism will break. To prevent it, experienced drivers recommend to treat it with polymer silicone or dry Teflon beforehand.
Door Seals
Rubber gaskets are an important part of the construction of the car. They are necessary for a tight fit of the doors, protection against the penetration of dirt, noise, odors into the cabin. The gaskets also ensure personal and fire safety.
The gaskets are subjected to great stress, so they need regular maintenance. Especially in winter, when they are constantly exposed to low temperatures and
reagents.
Trunk lid
Frost, moisture, and reagents all negatively affect the inner surface of the trunk. Corrosion-resistant coating can help protect the lid from damage. You can apply it yourself or in a car service center. The main thing is to observe all the conditions of treatment: clean the lid from dirt, dry it and only afterwards apply the coating.
Electrical contacts
In winter, temperature fluctuations contribute to the formation of condensation, which causes oxidation and corrosion of the contacts. To save them from damage, and yourself from trouble, treatment with a special electrically conductive paste can help.
Before you apply the product, it is necessary to check the integrity of the insulation of wires, connections and connectors. If necessary – replace the winding. After that, it is necessary to clean the contacts of dirt and oxide. Then treat them with the paste.
Hood Locking Mechanism
It’s one of the most vulnerable elements of the construction. The mechanism is the first to get the shock share of dirt and reagents, flying from the ahead vehicles. It is impossible to protect it from the aggressive slush, as the drops get under the hood through the slightest gaps.
The only way out is to treat the mechanism regularly with silicone or specialized grease.
Door locks
We think we don’t have to explain how important it is to keep the locks in good condition. But we remind you once again: you should treat the lock picks well before the cold season.
For preventive maintenance you can use the universal WD-40, silicone or Teflon grease. Processing will not only save mechanisms from damage, but also provide a smooth and silent operation.
Door hinges
Many drivers only pay attention to the condition of the hinges when they begin to squeak, stick, or become difficult to open. However, door hinges are an important part of the structure that needs systematic maintenance. And especially often in winter, when they are exposed to the damaging effects of low temperatures, precipitation and de-icing agents.
The driver’s door opens more often than the others, so problems usually occur with it. In some cases, the rear door hinges are the first to go bad. Poorly working hinges prevent them from closing tightly. This leads to rust and sagging, and subsequently to the violation of the geometry of the body.
Problems with the doors will not occur if you periodically treat the hinges with special products throughout the winter. For this purpose you can use silicone or multi-purpose grease. Auto-chemicals with anti-corrosive and dirt-repellent properties will protect the hinges from accelerated wear and ensure smooth, trouble-free operation.
Tank Hatch
Its condition is a headache for many drivers. The hatch is not protected against moisture, so it is especially exposed to corrosion, salt and harmful chemicals on the roads.
Specialists strongly recommend treating moving parts and hard-to-reach hatch parts with a protective agent on a regular basis. Silicone grease, WD-40 will do.
Wiper blades
Wiper blades are an expendable element, and therefore many drivers do not consider it necessary to take care of it. And it is in vain. Wiper blades, worn out in cold weather, are not able to clean the glass well, which leads to poor visibility of the road. In addition, they may scratch the glass.
Therefore, it is better to treat the brushes with silicone before the cold weather, and then regularly renew the coating. This will preserve the elasticity of the material, and you will keep you out of trouble.
Fenders and Sills
Many drivers believe that modern cars are not afraid of snowfalls and ice, so they do not need special protection. And they are deeply mistaken. In fact, greasing of fenders and sills will save from the risk of corrosion, deterioration and accelerated wear. Experts do not advise for nothing to regularly apply silicone grease to protect against snow buildup.
Suspension
Like other parts of the car, the suspension suffers from road grime, sand, salt and reagents. If care and prevention are neglected, unpleasant noises will appear very quickly while driving, and the rubber parts will dry out and fail. To prevent this from happening, experts advise treating them with silicone grease.
Recommendations on the choice of grease
To ensure that the remedy will reliably protect your car, when choosing, pay attention to the following indicators:
- Resistance to moisture, washout.
- Duration of action.
- Anticorrosion properties.
- Resistance to frost and temperature fluctuations.
- Low friction index.
- No oily discharges.