Winter endangers you, your vehicle
With all of this snow, mechanics are seeing steady customers. Cars are being damaged and people are bringing in their vehicles to get fixed.
As snow continues to pile up, our cars keep getting the short end of the stick. And since we are in the depths of winter, be sure that your car is in good enough shape to last through it.
“We start to see a lot of batteries going dead. And when they get weak, a lot of times they freeze and they just never can fully recover. We see a lot of water pumps and fuel pumps in the winter time,” said David Farnsworth, owner of Farnsworth & Gordon Automotive.
Snow in the rims and packed snow around the tires and under your vehicle can cause long-term issues.
“It’s not really snow that damages tires — it’s what’s under the snow. The big old potholes, the shards of ice, rocks,” said TJ Schmidt, an automotive technician at Fred & Wayne’s Tires.
“The big piles of snow in the center of the road. If those freeze and cars try to plow through them, a lot of time it can rip off pieces of the bumper or plastic pieces,” Farnsworth said.
Snow buildup can happen quickly. Try to chip away at it each time you get inside your car.
“A good stick. A long pry bar, get in the tire and kind of chisel it out. Keep your wheel wells clean,” Schmidt said.
If your tire tread isn’t good for the conditions, that can lead to bigger issues.
“If you’re to hit into a curb that’s more likely to throw it out of alignment or cause problems,” Farnsworth said.
But even if your car maintenance is up to par and 100 percent winterized, “On days like this, where we have so much snow, we really do recommend — especially to people with smaller cars or if they don’t have four- wheel drive — to stay home. Give the plows a chance to get out there and clear the roads,” Farnsworth said.
Drive slowly and very carefully — even if the snow plows have already cleared the way. Under the snow can be large slabs of ice that can cause you to slide unexpectedly, especially in residential areas.
