Six simple car maintenance checks before Winter starts
As the colder weather sets in, you may wish to consider preparing your Mercedes-Benz through a winter service. When preparing your vehicle, there are certain components that must be diagnosed by your garage, in order to offer you capable support during the potentially hazardous season. For Mercedes-Benz drivers in particular, there are a few considerations that must be taken into account.
Anti-freeze
A common misconception amongst drivers of any vehicle is that anti-freeze levels must only be kept full during cold winter months. In reality, the antifreeze levels should be kept topped up all year round to ensure the correct temperature variations are met depending on the conditions of the road. For instance, in warmer weather, the antifreeze/ water mixtures should be kept at 50% each as water provides a better coolant solution than antifreeze.
Another important aspect of the mixture is the corrosion inhibitor, which is engineered to protect against corrosion in warmer climates and provide optimal freeze protection in colder temperatures. The added mixture variations will be dependent on temperatures, whereas a stronger dilution will be more effective in colder temperatures.
Wind Screen
As days become shorter, it is important to keep in mind that visibility of the road ahead is reduced substantially. There are a few areas that should be inspected when preparing your vehicle, including windscreen systems and wiper blades. Key maintenance areas include:
- Deterioration of the wiper blades. This can help to fix common problems such as blade judder, blades becoming stuck and wipers not working. Diagnosing these areas should maintain the quality of your wipers and you will not need replacements as often.
- Windscreen washer checks and topping up of screen wash.
Tyres
The status of your tyres is influential to the integrity of your vehicle when operating over cold, slippery road surfaces, and can severely compromise passenger safety if not properly maintained. Key areas to check include pressure, depth of the treads and the overall condition of the tyre.
You may also consider fitting snow chains or socks depending on your vehicle. Fitting of these components is actually a requirement in some European countries, and as most Mercedes-Benz models tend to feature rear wheel drive, can prove to be necessary step towards ensuring vehicle safety.
When setting off, it is always a good idea to switch to a higher gear (usually 2nd or 3rd), and maintain this where possible throughout your journey, whilst also carefully operating the brakes and keeping your speed to a minimum.
Battery
With later models featuring more sophisticated internal electronic systems, Mercedes-Benz vehicles will generally rely heavily upon the battery for operation of on-board features. In colder temperatures, performance of the battery will deteriorate due to slower reactions of internal chemicals.
Lighting
As visibility reduces, you must ensure that other road users observe your presence on the road. It is also a legal requirement to ensuring a proper functioning external lighting system, so inspection of this area is key.
Schedule a winter check
Interested in scheduling a winter check? It’s free and will ensure the safety of your vehicle this winter. Get in touch with one of our qualified technicians today.
