Performing Maintenance on the Radiator, Engine Block Heater and the Car's Electronics

Performing proper maintenance procedures on a car prior to the arrival of winter

season is one of the most important steps to take towards fully winterizing your vehicle. To experience an engine breakdown in the middle of the road is undoubtedly the last thing that any car driver would ever want to experience. Now, add the factor of a snowstorm, so what was a simple inconvenience has now become a living, frozen hell. In this article, we will talk about the steps that will ensure that your car stays on top of its game come winter.

Check the Electronics

Of all the electronic parts that you will inspect, the most important would be the signal and fog lights. During winter, there will be instances where visibility may be compromised because of heavy precipitation. This is where the fog lights can come in handy. Furthermore, functional signal lights also improve driving safety because these are the times when they are needed the most.

Another part that must be checked is the car's defroster (or defogger). This is a set of devices that clears condensation from the car's windows (side and rear) and it's windshield. Since driving in snow is riskier , a driver must have as much visibility as possible.

Check the Engine Block Heater

Engine block heaters are electric devices that are installed in a vast majority of Canadian Cars. This is due to the fact that unlike some parts of North America, most regions of Canada experience temperatures that are far more than chilling. When temperatures drop to very low levels, initiating fuel combustion becomes more difficult. For this reason, engine block heaters warm up the engine and engine oil so that the car can actually start.

Usually, block heaters are a must for automobiles with diesel engines, like SUV's and trucks. Diesel requires a higher temperature for it to combust, unlike gasoline which burns readily. However, a lot of people are often mistaken in thinking that only diesel engines have block heaters.

Actually, even gasoline engines benefit a lot from block heaters. In fact, there are a lot of Canadian cars with gasoline engines that have block heaters for heating the engine oil. A warmer environment for fuel injection means better fuel economy, something that every car owner wants.

One short note for first-time car owners: Block heaters do not work in an instant. It is advisable for the driver to heat up the car to around 12 degrees Celsius, which will mean running the car for 10-15 minutes.

Make Sure to Get a Full Service every 30,000 Miles

Take a look at your car's odometer and see if it has passed a 30,000-mile milestone. If this is the case, then send your car to professional mechanics and have it inspected for potential problems that are usually caused by routine wear and tear. A full service becomes even more important for older cars whose odometer readings have gone past the 30,000 mark.

Let's face it: a full service can be expensive for some car models. However, this is something that a car cannot live without. There are innumerable parts that make up a car, so many that professional expertise is needed to make sure that no stone is left unturned.

Performing Maintenance on the Radiator, Engine Block Heater and the Car's Electronics

By: Jim Baz

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