European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 05, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday october 5, 1994 the Star and stripes Page 19 As crowded House sings everywhere you go you always take the weather and whether you realize it or not Winter is coming. As such it s time to get the car ready for the most hazardous season of the year. A Little attention now can save you a lot of hardship and Money later. Here s a list of things you can do to prepare your car for the months ahead. Most Are simple do it yourself tasks that you. Can do in your local Auto crafts shop. 1. Change the Oil and the filter using the viscosity recommendations in your owner s manual. As a guideline use 10w-30 for most temperatures or 5w-30 in really cold climate. Check your differential and. Standard transmission fluid Levels too. J 2. Check the exhaust with engine running for leaks while you re under the car. Repair or replace leaking or badly corroded parts. Exhaust leaks Are even More deadly in the Winter with closed windows. If you have front wheel drive inspect the constant velocity boots and replace cracked or broken boots. Dirt getting through a broken Boot will quickly destroy the joint. 3. Inspect your tires they Are the most important items on your checklist. If your car. Won t go it s inconvenient. But if it won t Stop or go where you aim it it can be a disaster. Don t be one of this Winter s driving statistics Don t Compromise on tires Check tread Wear. Uneven Wear Means trouble with your suspension or steering geometry and requires expert repair. Fix any problems before you change tires. If you use All weather tires to sure they have enough tread left to grip the read in bad weather. Many tires have tread depth indicators built into them. When the tire is too worn a bar appears across the grooves change it. As a Rule of thumb change any tire where the tread depth is under 1/16 Inch. For greater safety change them at 1/8 Inch. Check the condition of your Winter tires before installing them. If you need new tires cafes is having a Sale on Goodyear Winter and All season tires which will be 15% off from october 15th through november 5th. 4. Look for signs of rusting or damaged undercoating. Any spots will get worse so fix the Small spots now and save a bundle. 1. Change your air filter if it s dirty. Your car needs air too.i.2. Change the fuel filter if you Haven t done so in the past year. 3. Check All fluids Brake Power steering transmission and Windshield solvent. Top them up As needed and be sure there is enough anti freeze in the solvent solution to handle the weather conditions. Remember to fill the rear v. Washer tank if you have one. 4. Look Over fall the wires hoses and belts. If anything is cracked broken or shows signs of leakage or deterioration fix or replace it now. Replace belts that show signs of deterioration or heavy glazing. Rubber hoses should be consistently soft. If you find any hard Brittle or Mushy spots replace the Hose. 5. Take out the spark plugs and Check them. Change worn plugs. Electronic ignition systems Don t need the attention that older ones did but if it s been 30,000 Miles or so since your last tune up it s probably time for another. 6. Pour a can of fuel system de icer into the Gas tank at least once a month throughout the Winter you May not need it but it s cheap insurance against freeze up that forms from condensation in All fuel systems during rapidly changing weather conditions. T 7. Check and adjust the tension of All belts. When properly adjusted there s about a 1/2" of play when applying moderate pressure Midway Between the pulleys. If your car has one of the new serpentine belts with an automatic tension nor you la have to repair or replace the device to fix any tension problem. 8. Don t be left in the proverbial cold Check your Battery cables should be tight and free of corrosion. Top off the cells with distilled water. 9. Antifreeze works As a coolant and a lubricant for Cooling system parts to stays in the system year round. Check the level at the plastic recovery bottle and fill to the appropriate Mark. Check the mixture with a hydrometer and adjust it to at least a 50-50 -37 degrees fahrenheit mixture. Experts differ on How often it should be changed. Almost All Good Grade coolants Are ethylene glycol based and Don t lose their Antifreeze or Cooling properties Over time but the anti corrosion and lubricating properties do deteriorate. The old Rule of a change and a Bac flush every two years still applies. If you Don to it pays to add a can of Good Quality water pump lubricant and corrosion Previn tatic. 1. Cleaning the windows on the inside with an ammonia based cleaner helps prevent fogging. Make sure the Heater and defroster system Are working properly too. 2. Check wipers for smooth operation at All speeds and replace deteriorated Blades. Consider special Winter Blades if you live where there s lots of ice and Snow buildup. 3. Check All lights for proper functioning. Don t forget the backup and fog lights. 4. Rubberized Winter floor Mats Are a Good investment to protect the carpets from dirt and slush. Exterior 1. The finish on your car is amazingly resistant to the elements. But Winter roads mean chemicals mud heavy duty detergents pebbles and stones. Protect your exterior before Winter sets in with a Good Wash followed by coat of Wax protector. 2. Lubricate locks and latches with a moisture repellent lubricant such As wd-40 or any of the special lock lubricants available through cafes. Do not Oil. 3. Apply a coat of Wax or Silicon to weather stripping around doors windows and hatchbacks 4. Finally carry the following items to help you handle the weather in the coming cold Rhon this ice scraper Snow Brush Windshield cover Windshield Squeegee car cover gloves Washer solvent defogger cloth or sponge de icer Spray Tow rope flashlight Small shovel chains required on some Mountain passes in heavy Snow old Blanket or door mat helpful when installing chains or changing a tire in heavy Snow. Also can be used for traction if you get stuck. This information is provided Courtesy of Auto Magazine. Cafes wishes you Safe driving and Happy trails a