Car care clues for winter driving

As you shift into gear for winter driving, AutoVantage, Norwalk, Conn., offers car-care tips to keep your engine humming and vehicle performance high as temperatures drop.

Use the Three Ps: prepare for a long trip with maintenance checks; protect your family by buckling up and using child safety seats; and prevent crashes by staying alert, driving slower, and avoiding fatigue.

For starters, check antifreeze for proper strength--it should be good to minus-35[degrees]C. Buy only ethylene glycol-based fluid with low-freezing and high-boiling points. The recommended antifreeze lifetime is two years or 30,000 miles.

Oil change: check the owner's manual for the manufacturer's recommended winter rating. A 10W-30 weight oil works for everything short of arctic or alpine winter conditions. Wiper-washer fluids: keep your reservoir full with winter-tested fluid--a solvent that is good to 10[degrees] below zero. Also, be sure your transmission fluid is clean.

Replace wipers, especially for night driving and encounters with rain, sleet, and snow. Check all belts and hoses. Those that are cracked, frayed, or have worn rubber may not make it through the winter.

Examine tires. Take a long look at the tread. Driving in colder conditions and on icy, snowy roads requires as much traction as possible. Replace them if worn tread or sidewall damage is evident. Place a penny--Lincoln's head first--in the tread. Consider buying tires if the tread does not go past Lincoln's forehead.

Check the battery and charging system. Batteries lose power as temperatures drop. Fall and winter driving require more power from the battery, so consider buying a stronger, heftier one.

Winter emergency kit: Keep these must-have items in the trunk: heavy-duty jumper cables, flashlight, emergency flares, ice scraper, snow brush, small shovel, abrasive material (sand, kitty litter), blanket, gloves, heavy socks, winter boots, and tire chains for snowy areas.

Keep the gas tank full. If you get stranded or stuck in gridlock, the engine is your only source of heat.

Double-check rear window defroster. If some of the lines do not work, they can be repaired.

Plan your route. Check the weather and leave early; be familiar with map/directions; and let others know your route and arrival time.

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