Newsletter - February 2010

Four important things to pay attention to when driving in the winter are: tires, lights, windshield wipers and an emergency kit.

Tires

Check pressures monthly including the spare tire, adjust the pressure when the tires are still cold. All season radial tires are the most practical if you don’t do much mountain driving. Minimal tread depth for traction in the snow is 4/32”. A quick tread depth test is to insert the top of a quarter in the tread and if the top of George’s head is visible, the tire should be replaced. I just walked our parking lot and at the present time about 20% of the cars in our body shop have worn out tires. Bad tires may contribute to an accident. A set of tires is cheaper than most auto insurance deductibles.

Lights

Check to be sure all outside lighting is working. You can do this by pulling next to a garage door or wall and shining first the front then the rear lights on it or have someone stand outside the vehicle and watch. Check headlights, taillights, brake lights, turn signals and backup lights. If the headlights don’t seem to illuminate the road, they may need to be aimed, or if they’re cloudy they can be polished clear again to look new.

Wipers

If the wipers streak or chatter, they need to be replaced. Usually in this climate wiper blades last only a year. Winter blades are a good option for our area. They’re enclosed within a rubber jacket to help prevent icing. When defrosting the windshield try to use a minimum amount of heat. When the windshield gets warm, it melts the snow on the outside which then forms ice on the wipers. To keep from burning up your wiper motor be sure and remove heavy snow and any ice from around the wiper blades before turning them on.

Emergency Kit

Box up the following items and carry them in the trunk during the winter:

• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Jumper cables
• Cell phone with car charger
• Blanket or sleeping bag and a change of clothes
• Flares or reflective triangles
• Water
• Washer solvent
• Non-perishable food
• A small or collapsible shovel
• A bag of sand adds weight for traction and can be spread on ice if you get stuck.

© Copyright 2010. Addison Auto Center

Addison Auto Repair & Body Shop
2005 South Holly Street • Denver, CO 80222 • 303-691-9484

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Serving Virginia Village, Holly Hills, Southmoor, Cherry Hills Village, Greenwood Village, University Park, University Hills, Belcaro, Hilltop, Cherry Creek, Washington Park, Bonnie Brae, Southmoor Park and greater SE Denver area since l982.

We work (mechanical repair and auto body work and hail damage) on all makes of cars and trucks, including: Chevy, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, Nissan, Plymouth, Saab, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota and Acura through Volvo.