Hello from your trusted team at Kingdom Autocare. Well, as it says in the title, old man winter has once again set his sights on central Illinois. We had a good fall, and it looks like the fun is over and we are once again going to be dealing with lower temperatures, dead batteries, heaters failing, and dare I say it, the dreaded four-letter word we all hate but know is on the way…..SNOW!
I thought I would put together a small checklist you can perform on your own or, if you would like, give us a call and we would be happy to do for you! First, we all know what our main problem will be once the white stuff starts flying, and that is our tires being low on air pressure and low on tread. Some of you may have heard periodically throughout the year that you can make your tires stretch until winter, but will need to replace them before it sets in on us. Let’s go over some things you can check to make sure you are still good to go on your current set.
1. Check your air pressure. On the driver’s door, there should be a placard with the manufacturer’s recommended pressure that you will be able to set your tires to to ensure you are getting the most out of not only their life, but their performance as well. Maintaining this pressure will not only keep you from an unexpected low tire warning, but will also keep you from wearing them too early from being under- or over-inflated!
2. Checking your battery. On any battery, there should be an installed date or a manufactured date on the top of the battery. You can also either stop by any of our locations or purchase a battery tester off of Amazon to check your battery’s current cold-cranking amps and health level. We do these battery checks at no charge to you, and they are included in every oil change or winter safety inspection. Failed batteries never happen in an ideal situation, so preparing for it before it happens is your best defense against being stranded with your family in the elements.
3. Make sure your antifreeze is full and topped off. Antifreeze has a boil and freeze point that degrades over time, which will cause it to fail in extreme temperatures. They make hydrometers that can be purchased on Amazon or at any local parts store that can tell you how yours is doing. Once again, this is a free-of-charge service that is performed for you when getting any service at any of our locations. You also have a recommended manufacturer interval that needs to be followed to make sure that all of your cooling components are working properly.
In conclusion, any of these tasks we are more than happy to assist you with, and if you are feeling adventurous, can be done on your own for a little sweat equity and under 100 dollars. Feel free to reach out at any time regarding any auto questions you may have to any of our locations. We also have a couple of very exciting announcements to bring to you in the weeks to come, so make sure to keep an eye out for those and special promotions we will be running alongside them!
I also want to take a minute to thank all of you, our customers, for trusting us with not only your auto repair and maintenance but the safety of your families throughout the year and during this wonderful holiday season!
Blessings to you and your family,
Jimmy Jones with Kingdom Autocare
