Winter weather places new demands on your Audi with the risk of dropping temperatures, more rain and unexpected ice. Your Audi requires special care in the cold season, to ensure you continue to enjoy a more pleasant and safer driving experience. Here is how to get your Audi ready for colder weather to keep you safe on the roads.
Brake Check
Unpredictable winter weather can lead to more sudden stops. You want to know your Audi will stop safely if you experience slippery road conditions. Although you might feel in control of your car and confident in your driving skills, remember other drivers might not be as prepared. This means you might have to stop suddenly to avoid accidents. A brake check with your auto service ensures your brakes are working at optimum performance for skillful stops that keep you safe.
Wiper Blade Replacement
Wiper blades play an important role in driver safety. They provide improved visibility in wet weather conditions. If your wiper blades are older, they become less effective as they don’t provide even contact with your windshield. Sub-par wipers will not provide the clearing you need to provide full visibility in poor weather conditions. In hand with new wiper blades, you should speak to your auto repair expert about the best wiper fluid. Today you can find wiper fluid with anti-fog and anti-ice cleaning abilities, so you won’t be at risk when you hit harsh winter weather.
Tire Check
Like your brakes, you need to know you can depend on your tires to help you make safe stops. A tire check with an auto service will look for signs of wear, so you know if it’s time for new tires. Worn treads make it more difficult to stop, and also interfere with the way your tires grip the road. The less tread on your tires, the less grip you have. However, even newer tires need a thorough check.
This is because tire pressure should always be maintained based on Audi recommendations. For every 10 degree drop in cold weather, your tire pressure can drop as much as 1 PSI. As well, many Dallas area Audi drivers choose to get all-season tires to provide more traction for icy conditions.
Cooling System
During the winter, your engine coolant is very important. It plays an important role to keep the engine and other parts at a safe temperature. When the engine runs it gets hot, and then when you turn your car off in cold weather it cools down very quickly. If your coolant system is working properly, your car doesn’t experience too sudden a temperature change that can cause issues. Ensuring your cooling system is running well often means flushing your cooling system and replacing your coolant fluid. Your auto repair center can check your cooling system and replace your coolant as required.
Engine Light Alerts
If you’ve been driving your Audi with an engine light alert, once winter arrives you really need to bring your car to your auto repair experts for a check. Engine light alerts are warnings there is some form of malfunction. If you ignore this too long, it’s just a matter of time that something will go wrong. Always bring your Audi in for a check if your Check Engine alert comes on to avoid the risk of something serious happening while driving.
Oil Change
Oil is like the lifeblood of your car. It keeps everything running smoothly providing lubrication to all your Audi’s moving parts. When the cold weather arrives, all of your car fluids can thicken keeping them from providing the lubrication you need. An oil change at your auto service shop keeps your Audi performing in peak condition with everything is circulating the way it should.
Battery Check
Cold weather puts a strain on your car battery. Before the cold weather arrives have your auto repair ship check your battery to make sure it is chargeable. Nothing is worse than being stranded with a dead battery in the winter. Your battery can also fail if it is older, not charged properly or there is an extreme drop in temperature. A battery check addresses any potential issues including the recommendation that it’s time for a replacement. Keep in mind that simply turning on your car heaters puts more demand on your Audi, so you want to make sure your battery is up to the challenge.
To ensure your Audi is operating at peak performance this winter, schedule your appointment at one of our three locations today! Contact us online here.