Tips from Yorktown Mechanic: Get Your Car Ready for Snow

Strong winds combined with heavy snowfall could bring blizzard-like conditions on Friday as the area gets hit by a major snowstorm. 

Yorktown mechanic Joe Kreslein at the Avac Auto Repair on Commerce Street is offering several tips to make sure you're prepared before you get into your car. 

The biggest mistake people make is not checking if their windshield wipers are working properly, Kreslein said. If the rubber part of the wiper is torn, stiff, or not making contact with the window, it's time for new wipers. 

"They don't check if they're working properly until they are out in the snow," he said. 

Also, before the snow arrives, don't forget to lift the windshield wipers off the window when you park your car, Kreslein said. 

Drivers would want to make sure they check their tires – and the tire tread depth – before heading out in the snow. As a tire wears, its ability to perform in rain and snow will be reduced. 

To tell when a tire is worn – just insert a quarter into the tread. Put it in upside down. If the tread doesn’t cover George Washington’s hairline; it’s time to replace your tires.

Kreslein recommends that drivers check their car batteries, which should be replaced every two to four years; and check the anti-freeze in your car. 

What do you do to make sure your car gets through the snow? How do you prepare for the snow before you head out?

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