Winter Motoring Advice
This winter, Motor Codes garages are passing on expert winter motoring advice to their customers. To make sure you stay safe and your car remains in good condition, follow these words of winter wisdom:
- Top up oil and water levels and ensure that you dilute antifreeze and screen wash to a winter concentration.
- Inflate your tyres to the correct pressure and check that there is at least 3mm of tread (almost twice the minimum legal limit of 1.6mm). Clearing water becomes even more essential in wet winter months and a deeper tread will make the task much more efficient.
- Use a quality de-icer spray and a scraping tool to clear ice from your windscreen. Don't use hot water to defrost the windows as it can crack the screen. On the inside, if your car has air conditioning, use it with the heater to speed up the de-misting process.
- Regularly wash your vehicle with a quality bodywork shampoo to remove salty deposits and road grime. Never use washing-up liquid as it can speed-up paintwork corrosion. Additionally, an application of a high-quality car wax will protect and preserve your paintwork.
- Take care of your car's battery as cold weather combined with the use of lights, heaters and wipers can accelerate its deterioration. Make sure your engine is running before switching on any electrical systems to preserve the battery’s life.
- When setting out, particularly on a long journey, wear warm clothing and take a blanket in the car. It’s also sensible to have food and drink with you in case you become stranded.
- In poor visibility or icy conditions, drive more slowly and smoothly, leaving longer braking distances – double in the wet and up to ten times further in icy conditions.
- Have your car serviced at a Motor Codes garage to ensure it runs safely and smoothly throughout the winter months.
Summer Motoring Advice
Quick checks before departing on your summer holiday
Check fluid levels - brake, clutch, power steering, oil, and coolant levels are up to the mark (refer to the handbook if in any doubt). Fill the windscreen-washer bottle using a screen wash additive to help clear traffic film and dead insects. You'll get through screen wash at a prodigious rate in summer conditions, so it might be worth carrying a spare bottle
Clean the windscreen, windows and mirrors. Check front and rear wiper blades for wear or splitting.
Check and adjust tyre pressures - increasing them for heavy loads, particularly if towing or if you have a full car, heavy luggage or full roof boxes . You can find the correct pressures in the car's handbook.
If a service is due shortly, get it done before you go on holiday - repairs can be more expensive away from home, especially if you are driving to the European mainland.
If a service isn't due, make sure you check your car over before setting off. Pay close attention to the condition of hoses, make sure the coolant level and mixture is correct and ensure that the belts that drive the alternator and power steering are not loose or cracked. A couple of pounds for some summer coolant or a new rubber belt could save a fortune in breakdown fees. Many garages offer free or low-cost summer checks that will provide welcome reassurance that you won't splutter to a halt halfway to the beach.
Beware of punctures
Check tyres for splits or bulges as high summer temperatures heat up tyres and aggravate any existing damage to the rubber. Under-inflation compounds this, causing friction and added heat which can prove too much for weak spots, causing punctures and blow-outs.
Check the manufactures' manual to establish the correct air pressure for your vehicle.
For anyone travelling long distances with a full car and heavy luggage it is vital to find out the pressure level for a fully loaded vehicle.
Remember that tyre pressure should only be checked when tyres are cold and have not been in use for a few hours.
Keep your key fobs safe
Its all to easy to lose your keys on the beach or whilst you are out and about during the summer. Keep keys safe and dry but also make sure that you know the alternative method for getting into the car if the key fob fails. This is usually detailed in your vehicle's handbook.
Overheating
Aggravated by extreme summer temperatures, failure to keep coolant levels topped up, leaking coolant hoses and broken cooling fans can all result in overheating and temperatures high enough to cause severe and expensive engine damage.
To avoid disaster ensure that you regularly check coolant and fluid levels. Follow our guide maintenance guide to find out more.
Fuel saving tips
Do not fill the fuel tank to the brim on especially hot days. As with most liquids fuel will expand. This could lead to fuel leaking out of the filler neck of the fuel tank or breather.
Don't use the air conditioning all the time. Once the air conditioning has cooled the inside of the car, turn it down or off. Don't start the air conditioning if doors or windows are open.
Remove unnessary items from the boot if you dont need them in the car for your destination. Also remove any roof racks or roof boxes as these create drag and increase your fuel consumption.
