CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When cold weather hits, is your vehicle up to the challenge?

Doing a quick once-over now could help save you time, money and headache later as the winter months progress.

Here are a few quick winter car care tips from AAA to help get you on the road and to your destination as safe as possible over the coming months.

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Oil

Colder weather can be hard on an engine, so to help ease the burden, make sure you are changing your vehicle’s motor oil and filter as recommended by the manufacturer. During the winter months, also pay special attention to the type of oil being used to ensure you are using a viscosity appropriate for the low temperature conditions in your area.

Battery

Depending on your battery's age, most last between 3-5 years, now may be a good time to have it tested. As temperatures drop, the load on your battery when starting your vehicle goes up. This means an older, weak battery could fail and leave you stranded in the cold.

Tires

Depending on conditions in your area, you may consider a set of designated winter tires. For most, however, maintaining proper air pressure and having a routine rotation, every 5,000-10,000 miles, can go a long way in ensuring proper grip and handling during average winter conditions.

Brakes and Suspension

The winter is another good time to ensure your brakes and suspension are in top performing order. Icy roads are treacherous enough on their own, don’t make it worse by having worn and faded brakes, shocks and struts inhibiting your ability to stop safely.

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Windshield Wiper Blades

If your blades are streaking and/or chattering during use, now is the time to replace. When choosing your replacement, look for a blade suited for winter weather. Also, if you live in an area prone to more snow or ice, a beam or rubber-clad blade can offer a better resistance to ice buildup.

While we’re talking about the windshield area, remember not to give in to the urge of throwing hot water onto the glass to clear any frost or ice that may have built up overnight. The rapid change in temperature could lead to a cracked windshield. Also, don’t use your windshield wipers to try and clear any snow, ice or frost buildup. Instead, keep an ice scrapper handy and/or fill the windshield washer system with a special winter solvent that will help clear things up safely and easily.

General Maintenance

Take a quick look at your belts and hoses to check for any cracks, leaks or general signs of aging that could result in failure. This includes those on the heater, radiator, fan, exhaust and fuel line areas of the vehicle.

Also check for any burned-out or fading bulbs that could inhibit your ability to see or be seen on those cold winter nights.

Lastly, you can help protect your vehicle’s paint by applying a coat of wax before hitting those winter treated roads. The wax creates a nice barrier between the finish and harmful elements like road salt, grime, snow, sleet and more that will likely coat your vehicle throughout the coming months. Visiting a local car wash with an undercarriage rinse feature is also a great way to get rid of any of those elements hiding in the the wheel wells or on the underbody.

AAA offers more winter car care and driving safety tips, which can be found here.

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