Servicing and Preparing Your Vehicle for Winter in Canada

In addition to routine maintenance, winter is the time of year when safety and reliability is especially important for your vehicle. Here are some of the key service and maintenance tips to keep in mind this season:

1)      Great winter tires make all the difference when it comes to a smooth, safe ride, and are an investment that will last you for up to four winter seasons. Get them changed early to avoid waiting to schedule your appointment with your service department. Make sure that they are regularly rotated and balanced 10,000 kms. Also, if you are planning on going on a road trip through the USA, some states require that you have tire chains on hand during the winter months, so check to make sure your vehicle is well-equipped before you take that holiday vacation down south.

2)      If your windshield wipers aren’t exactly in the best condition, and you have a hard time seeing through the glass on a rainy day, now is the time to update those wipers. Stats shows that up to 7 out of 10 cars need new windshield wipers, and considering this is an inexpensive and quick update, this one is a no brainer. Get rid of those streaks, and you’ll be well on your way to getting ready for winter driving in the Toronto GTA.

3)      Get your brakes checked to make sure that they are going to perform well in icy, slippery driving conditions.

4)      It’s a good idea to get all your fluid levels topped up as part of getting your vehicle prepared for winter.

5)      Even if you are leasing a car, getting an overall winterizing package is a good idea to make sure that you haven’t missed anything. Depending on the age, make, and model of your car as well as how often it’s driven, your vehicle service centre will likely be able to recommend seasonal updates for you.