Cold weather can wreak havoc on an automobile. If you live in an area where weather typically get below the freezing point this time of year, you may have experienced some of these problems before. The good news is that we are halfway through winter and these problems won’t be problems until next winter. The bad news is that we are only halfway through winter and there is still a chance of encountering these problems. Here are two of the most common winter auto problems and how to fix them when they happen.
Wipers Frozen to the Windshield
This is a common problem when you go out to your car the morning after a frigid night or after leaving work. Simply turning on the wipers won’t fix the problem, either. In fact, this can create more problems like a burned out motor or tearing the wiper blades. Instead, scrape off the ice and snow from your windshield until the wipers are free to move.
Frozen Door Locks
A frozen door lock can be a horrible start to your morning. You may have heard the advice to heat up your key with a lighter or a match and insert it into the lock to thaw it out. This is certainly one way to do it, but you can also get an empty toilet paper roll and place it over the lock. Then blow into the roll a few times to unfreeze the lock. This is simpler and you don’t risk melting your key!
These are just two of the numerous problems that can occur during the winter. You can still save yourself some trouble by getting your vehicle winterized now and avoid major problems for the rest of the season.