Do you guys do anything to prepare your vehicle for winter?

[Ws6]

I usually like to do the following:

- Get an oil change in
- Winter tires get put on absolutely
- I take DuPont rubber saver and rub it well into all the weatherstripping and door/sunroof seals. This protects the rubber from getting brittle but also from being frozen shut.
- Charge up my battery to full and apply white lithium grease to the terminals.
- Lube up all doors' locks and hinges with JigALoo
- Swap wiper blades with winter ones.
- Top off my washer fluid with best antifreeze I can get

Anything else is taken care of during my routine maintenance.

I usually will use a low temp washer fluid/deicer. Oil changes are every several months regardless. I dont treat the rubber seals. Not that bad where I live. Only gets to -10 or so.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I usually don’t expect put a scraper in the car and if the car is due I will change the oil so I won’t freeze my tail off doing it in December which I have done before for family members who ask the day after Christmas if I could change their oil which I don’t mind because usually they pay me with cash or license plates so that makes me happy lol.

 

[BrianF]

I just plan my oil changes before it gets too cold out or before it gets sloppy during melt. I don't change oil based on season.

I start to top off the washer fluid with decent winter blend and monitor tire pressur on cold mornings.

I keep an extension cord, window scraper, washer fluid, shovel and blankets in the vehicles.

Other than the above noted, I have a bottle of antigel in my 3500.

I tinker on the vehicles all year as needed so fluids are fresh, tires rotated, thing greased and so on. I am more worried about getting my snow fence up, snowlower tuned up and furnace ready.

 

[JT20]

Keep the gas tank full, it will be prepared for winter. Straight up.

 

[Skippy722]

I give it a good wash and wax, I run the low temperature washer fluid year round, and make sure I have a scraper.

 

[Creekside]

Just did my winter service on my truck today. Fresh oil change that will get me to April, new wipers, grease the chassis, check all fluids including differentials, lube door, hood, and tailgate hinges and latches. Used lock lube in door locks. All tires will stay at 70 until I have a noticeable issue getting around. I’ll drop to 40 or 50 then. I also exercise the lock outs and I’ll drive with them in for a day or two to splash oil around the front differential and identify any potential vibrations or problems that I don’t want to find during the first snow.

 

[chemman]

Lube, oil and filter change
Rotate tires and make sure they are properly inflated
Winter Wiper blades installed
Load test battery
Make sure battery terminals and connections are good
Check wiring to my VHF/UHF amateur radio
Wipe down the weatherstripping with silicone spray
Lubricate door hinges, hood mechanisms, and hood latches
Visually inspect the undercarriage
Inspect serpentine belts, ignition wires, air filter, check antifreeze strength
Clean exterior windows & mirrors and apply Rain-X
Plus whatever else I think of

 

[CT Rob]

Make sure wipers are good.Usually pull all the brakes and inspect ,clean and lube pins etc before they get blasted with salt .

 

[svtrit]

How many cans of Fluid Film do I need for a Camry?

I did my sons' 2000 Camry this past weekend and it took 3 cans. I also pulled all the body plugs and sprayed up into the body panels.

 

[Duffyjr]

I make sure my door seals are clean and greased, I hate not being able to get in my vehicle on them cold mornings.

 

[tblt44]

Nope

 

[Saabist]

I usually fluid film the undercarriage before the salt hits the roads...maybe around early November, late October.

Same here, just did mine. Also oil changes and any other maintenance needed before cold weather sets in since I have to work outside.

 

[Dinoburner]

Here it`s oil undercoat for the 95, wax all 3, new snows for the 95 and add scrapers. Maint is done as needed year round.
.

 

[Leo99]

Winter prep here:
Find ice scraper
Test seat heaters
Toss spare hoodie in trunk
Wait for spring

Same with me except my ice scraper and spare hoodies are always in the trunk.

 

[MCompact]

I bump up the tire pressures, touch up any paint chips, and make sure that the coolant and brake fluid have been changed within the past two years.

 

[Snagglefoot]

In any area prone to rust it’s a good idea so aim a shot of Fluid Film or Krown on the threads of your brake bleeders.

 

[Hogwash]

Apply Liquid Wrench rust inhibitor to the critical parts of the frame.

Fresh wiper blades.

Keep a window scraper and blanket in the cab at all times.

Wax in the fall.

Winter tires (Firestone WinterForce on stock 16" steelies) will go on at 1st snow. I don't run them all season. Mainly only as needed.

 

[daves87rs]

Make sure I have a winter beater to take the winter abuse.... (thank you Cobalt)

 

[vtec260]

1) Wash and wax, touch up paint
2) Inspect brakes and fill up fluids
3) Change out to winter wiper blades
4) Check battery and all the light bulbs
5) Find one weekend before the weather turns before installing winter tires/rims.

 

[jonlandrum]

Reading this thread makes me glad I left Chicago. Nowadays, my "winter prep" involves putting the plastic windows back on my Jeep.