Steer your car to safety before winter arrives

NORFOLK, Neb. -- Colder temperatures approaching means different car maintenance; so local professionals shared tips with NCN about how to prepare your vehicle for the winter. 

"The biggest challenges we run into the wintertime is batteries," said Al Rajaee, owner of Cornhusker Auto Center and Courtesy Ford in Norfolk. "If you don't have battery, you don't have life in your vehicle, okay."

Rajaee recommends driver have their batteries tested before temperatures drop.

Meanwhile, Robert McDonald of Zippy Lube said in fact, tires are the most frequent problem he sees in the winter. 

"Number one I think is to make sure your tires are good so you won't be spinning out and having accidents," McDonald said.

Fill up your tires now, and check how deep the tread is with the old coin-in-the-tire trick.

"Nothing is worse than driving in the winter with tires that don't have good tread. It's dangerous and can let you sit on the road," Rajaee added.

After preparation; comes maintenance: Turn your car on to charge its battery for 15 minutes a day, and keep the tank above half full.

"When the fuel gets so far below a level, the tank gets full of air, and the winter is full of moisture in the air [...] you run the risk of the tank freezing," Rajaee said.

Also, regularly make sure the exhaust pipes are clear. 

There's also a few what not to do's: "Make sure your antifreeze is cold enough, some people will add water over the summer and not realize and have it freeze on them," McDonald said.

"There are people who put chemicals in the tank [...] HEET in the vehicle can actually do more damage than good," Rajaee said. "And if you do have any warning lights on, do not go into the winter with those warning lights on," he said.

Most importantly, be prepared for the worst.

"Blankets in the trunk for sure cos I've been stranded and it's not a fun time," McDonald said.

The Nebraska Department of Transportation adds a good way to steer clear of being stranded like McDonald, is to keep light flares in your trunk, along with flashlights; a first aide kit; jumper cables; duct tape; an ice scraper; and a shovel in case you get stuck in snow.