Car Parts That May Fail In Winter

Freezing temperatures can cause serious  issues and proliferate the failure of vulnerable components within your vehicle. As temperature rapidly drops in the winter months, various systems and car parts undergo increased strain and have to work harder to function correctly. This means if these components are not serviced prior to winter season, then their chances of failure increase ten fold, potentially leaving you stranded. Let’s take a look at all such systems and components that need to be serviced and maintained before winter sets in. 

Your car’s battery has to work harder in the winter months to achieve the same results as in the heat. This is because the cold slows the chemical reaction within the battery, hindering its performance. A battery is assessed based on its ability to crank the engine in cold temperatures and is represented by Cold Cranking Amps (CCA). The larger this number the better it works in the cold. As the battery ages, the CCA deteriorates which leads to poor starting performance during the winter months. In order to make sure the battery does not cause issues in freezing temperatures it is important to test the voltage and CCA of the battery along with its charge-holding capabilities. You can perform these tests with the help of this battery maintenance guide. 

A change in the temperature by 5℃ (10℉) can cause the tire pressure to drop by 1 psi. As the temperature falls below freezing, the tire pressure can plummet below-recommended levels causing issues with handling and fuel economy. Therefore it is important to regularly check the tire pressure and restore it to the recommended level. You can use a handy tire pressure gauge to assess the tire pressure periodically and inflate the tires using a tire inflator whenever needed. Some vehicles are equipped with Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) which makes your job easier and alerts you as the tire pressure in each wheel declines.  However, it is important to ensure that TPMS works properly for you to rely on its functioning. 

One of the most dreaded winter situations is driving on snow and black ice-covered roads. Standard all-season tires are not best suited to be ridden on snow or ice, especially at temperatures way below freezing point. The compound in all-season tires hardens below 7℃ (45℉) which reduces their handling and stopping performance as winter sets in. This is why it is important to use winter tires that have specialized compounds and tread patterns that ensure superior performance on snow, ice, black ice, and wet roads. Switching from all-season or summer tires to winter tires is important during the winter season to eliminate any issues caused by low traction, hydroplaning, and increased stopping distances.

We all know that salt is the enemy of snow, but what you may not realize is that salt is also the enemy of metal. As you drive along on salt-laden roads during snowy days, the salt is thrown off by the tires and sticks to the undercarriage of the car creating salt deposits. These salt deposits on metal chassis members and other exposed metal components . Due to their location, they often go unnoticed until it’s too late. This is why it is important to regularly clean the car along with the undercarriage to make sure these salt deposits are removed to prevent corrosion. 

Freezing temps and brittle plastic make for an easy “snap-off” car door handle in the winter months. While this may be amusing to the bystanders, you may not have the same composure at that moment. One way to prevent this mishap is to spray the door handles, key, lock and door jamb with de-icer or isopropyl and rubbing alcohol solution to remove ice from various surfaces before opening the door. Other methods include using hot water, a hairdryer, or hand sanitizer. Get a replacement door handle if broken. 

Just like the door handles, the windshield also ices over, locking up the wiper blades. Turning on the wipers when they’re stuck could tear wipers or induce excess stress on the wiper linkage. The wiper linkage itself may also be frozen and turning over the wipers may cause the wiper motor to burn out. To prevent such damage, it is crucial to check the wiper functionality before driving. Winter wiper blades are ideal for winter use as they have a more supple rubber compound that stays pliable at lower temperatures and therefore provides better performance. As a precautionary measure, you can lift the wiper blade off the glass to prevent them from getting frozen in place.