Winterizing Your Car in Upstate NY

Do you need to winterize your car upstate? With the fierce winters in Troy and nearby areas, you will need to get your car ready to continue driving safely! For one, a key part of vehicle winterization is performing checks and essential maintenance. You will also need to keep driving tips in mind before you brave the cold this winter. Learn more with Ford of Latham’s service center below!

Vehicle Winterization With Maintenance

The first step to winterizing your car in upstate NY is to make sure that every part is working properly. You should check the parts and replace any if necessary. Or you can schedule a winter checkup at our service center near Albany, so professional technicians can go through everything that needs attention. Here are some components of a checklist to ensure your car is ready for the season:

• Changing coolant, so liquids don’t freeze and the engine can start
• Replacing an old battery
• Checking windshield wiper blades and replace if necessary
• Checking tires (including tire tread) and switching to a set of winter tires
• Checking headlights and replace if necessary
• Getting a fresh oil change before temperatures drop

What if you drive a truck? Truck winterization will include similar inspecting of vital car components. However, some other specific steps you should take include protecting your pickup truck bed with a truck bed liner if you don’t have one already. Liners can protect your truck from scratches, rust, chemical contamination, and paint deterioration. They also offer an anti-skid, anti-slip surface to stabilize your cargo during winter months. If you are losing traction in your 2-wheel drive truck, consider putting weights over the rear wheels. However, be mindful of not putting too much weight, so your truck doesn’t swing out at turns.

Winter Driving Tips

While you can prep your vehicle as much as possible, the weather can sometimes get so bad that it’s just unwise for you to step outside of your house or even go for a short drive. You shouldn’t drive during ice or snowstorms unless it is absolutely necessary. If the weather isn’t that intense and you have to drive around Schenectady, you should keep these tips in mind:

• Warm up the car so the defroster clears the windows
• Turn on headlights whenever windshield wipers are on (this is required by New York State law)
• Leave plenty of room between vehicles, so you can be prepared to react if other drivers start to slide
• Make sure to have an emergency kit that includes essentials like a snow shovel, ice scraper, abrasive material to get your car unstuck in the snow, blankets, jumper cables, water, and food

Protect Your Vehicle from a Nor’easter

If there’s a nor’easter heading your way, you should stay indoors to avoid getting into any dangerous situation. But what about your car? You can protect your vehicle from a nor’easter by parking it in a garage or in a space where it won’t be surrounded by unsecured objects. Even if you put your car in your garage, you should make sure that all the items are secured.

Get Your Car Ready for the Winter with Ford of Latham’s Help

With Ford of Latham in your corner, we can help you get all set up for this season! Whether you need our team of technicians to do a thorough check on your car or you need genuine Ford replacement parts, we are here for you. Be sure to check our service specials before you book, and if you’re short on time, Ford Mobile Service can come to you. Driving electric? Learn about cold weather’s effects on EV batteries!