Winterizing vehicles becoming priority with forecasted cooler temperatures

RAPID CITY, S.D. — With colder temperatures forecasted, colder times can mean harder times for your vehicle, which makes this a great time to prepare your car for what lies ahead.

As a good general practice, it all starts with getting your vehicle regularly serviced where mechanics will check the essentials like your oil, cooling system and battery, one of the most common ailments of your car.

“We see batteries there six months or older, especially the older ones,” said Albert Gosselin, a Service Writer with Belly Brothers Auto Tech in Rapid City. “They tend to not want to work.”

Next is your tires, which can be drastically impacted by South Dakota winters.

If you live in a more rural area, it might not be a bad idea to get snow tires to add extra traction.

If you just bought the correct tires, or if you’ve already had them, you’re probably wondering how much air you should put in them. Well, you can find that information right inside the driver side door.

“We’re constantly filling up tires,” Gosselin said. “Tires are always coming to us a little low. We want to make sure those are ready to go, especially during the snowy season.”

After that, replacing your windshield wipers and making sure your front window and rear window defrosters are in working order helps with visibility purposes.

Finally, always plan for emergencies.

“Having a flashlight, jumper cables, gloves, blankets and things like that to maybe keep you warm or prepared if you end up being on the side of the road during a winter storm or anything like that. You want to be ready for spending maybe a couple hours on the side of the road,” Gosselin said.

Further winterizing tips for your vehicle can be found by clicking here.