Taking care of your car during cold weather

As the temperatures are dropping, local mechanics are offering advice to help keep your car running.

Sunrise Auto Repairs car technician Jaime Silos says ahead of the cold weather, car owners are prepping for the temperatures.

“You definitely want to check tire pressure; make sure they’re at spec. Definitely get your battery checked. Because, usually, whenever cold weather comes by, it’s really harsh on the batteries. Definitely want to get it tested for its cold cranking amps,” he said.

One of the most helpful tips is to make sure your antifreeze is at the proper level.

“Usually, you want antifreeze in your vehicle and not just water. I know a lot of older people kind of just put water in their radiator, but you definitely want coolant because coolant freezes at a lower temperature than water,” Silo said.

One of the biggest impacts the cold can have on your vehicle is tire pressure.

“The cold with the cold air will just kind of contract [the tire pressure] a little. So it’ll definitely drop the P.S.I. a little,” Silos said. “You want to fill it up to the proper spec for on the vehicle. And if you wanted to know your proper spec, usually it’s on the doorjamb of the driver’s side.”

For those closer to the mountains, with higher chances of snow, consider investing in new tires.

“You got a place where it snows a lot, and like the snow periods a lot or a long time, then you definitely want to get snow tires,” Silos said.

Silos said when it gets cold, make sure you’re letting the engine warm up.

“You probably do want to crank it up at least, maybe idle it for 15 to 30 seconds. And if the engine speed drops down and the idle goes down, then it should be good to start driving,” he said.

Most importantly, Silos said if you think there may be an issue with your car, get it checked out.

“If it’s struggling to start, you probably just want to contact your local mechanic shop or repair shop and ask them some questions,” he said.