With the change of seasons most people examine their wardrobes. Last season’s coat is inspected for wear, and boots, sweaters and wool slacks come out of the closet for scrutiny. AAA reminds motorists that cars also need seasonal checkups.

AAA recommends that motorists use a simple checklist to determine their car’s fall and winter maintenance needs. Most of the items on the checklist can be inspected by car owners in less than an hour, but several others should be performed by a certified technician.

One way to identify a reliable, high-quality repair facility with certified technicians is to look for one that is AAA Approved. AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities must meet and maintain high professional standards for customer service, technician training, service equipment, warranties and cleanliness. There are nearly 8000 AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities in the U.S., and nearby shops can be quickly located at AAA.com/repair.

Winter Car Care Checklist

Battery and Charging System – Have the battery and charging system tested by a trained technician. A fully charged battery in good condition is required to start an engine in cold weather. AAA members can request a visit from a AAA Mobile Battery Service technician who will test their battery and replace it on-site, if necessary.AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities can also test and replace weak batteries.

Battery Cables and Terminals – Check the condition of the battery cables and terminals. Make sure all connections are secure and remove any corrosion from the terminals and posts.

Drive Belts – Inspect belts for cracks or fraying. Don’t just look at the smooth top surface of the belt, but turn it over and check the grooved underside where most belt wear occurs.

Engine Hoses –Visually inspect the cooling system hoses for leaks, cracks or loose clamps. Also, squeeze the hoses to check for any that may be brittle or excessively spongy feeling and in need of replacement.

Tire Type and Tread – In areas with heavy winter weather, changing to snow tires on all four wheels will provide the best winter traction. All-season tires will work well in light to moderate snow conditions, providing they have adequate tread depth. If any tire has less than 3/32-inches of tread, it should be replaced. Uneven wear on the tires can indicate alignment, suspension or wheel balance problems that should be addressed to prevent further damage to the tires.

Tire Pressure – Check tire pressure more frequently during winter months. As the temperature drops, so will the pressures in the tires—typically 1 PSI for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The proper tire pressure levels can be found on a sticker located on the driver’s side door jamb. And, don’t forget to check the spare.

Air Filter – Check the engine’s air filter by holding it up to a 60-watt light bulb. If light can be seen through much of the filter, it is still clean enough to work effectively. However, if the light is blocked by most of the filter, replace it.

Coolant Levels – Check the coolant level when the engine is cold. If the coolant level is low, add a 50/50 solution of coolant and water to maintain the necessary antifreeze capability. The level of antifreeze protection can be checked with an inexpensive tester available at any auto parts store.

Lights – Check the operation of all headlights, taillights, emergency flashers, turn signals, brake lights and back-up lights. Replace any burnt out bulbs.

Wiper Blades – Blades should completely clear the glass with each swipe. Replace blades that leave streaks or miss spots. In areas with snowy conditions, consider installing winter wiper blades that wrap the blade in a rubber boot to prevent ice and snow buildup that can prevent good contact between the rubber blade and the glass.

Washer Fluid – Fill the windshield washer fluid reservoir with a cleaning solution that has antifreeze components for cold weather use.

in good working order.

Transmission, Brake and Power Steering Fluids – Check all fluids to ensure they are at or above the minimum safe levels.

Emergency Road Kit – Update the car’s emergency kit for winter weather. The kit should include:

·        Bag of abrasive material (sand, salt, cat litter) or traction mats

·        Snow shovel

·        Snow brush

·        Flashlight with extra batteries

·        Window washer solvent

·        Ice scraper

·        Cloth or roll of paper towels

·        Jumper cables

·        Gloves, hats and blankets

·        Warning devices (flares or triangles)

·        Drinking water

·        Non-perishable snacks (energy or granola bars)

·        Extra clothes

·        First-aid kit

·        Basic toolkit (screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable wrench)

·        Mobile phone and car charger with important numbers programmed in it, including a roadside assistance provider

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 52 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

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Step By Step How To Safely Jump Start Your Car

How To Safely Jump Start Your Car

1

Open each car's hood and locate the battery. On most cars, it will be near the front of the car on the right or left side, but on some cars the battery is located near the firewall between the engine and passenger compartment. In some cars the battery is located in the trunk. If unsure, check your car manual for location of the battery. Identify the positive and negative terminals.

·        The positive terminal will be marked with a plus sign (+) and will usually have a red cable attached on it.

·        The negative terminal will be marked with a minus sign (-) and will usually have a black cable attached to it.

2

Park the working car near, but not touching, the disabled car. Park the car in such a way that the distance between both car batteries is as small as possible. Turn off the engine, radio, lights, A/C, fans and all other electrical components. Make sure that all of these things are off in the disabled car, too. Don't let the cars touch at all.

·        If the cars are touching, jumping the battery can cause a dangerous electrical arc between the vehicles

·         

·        3

Put on safety gear (goggles and gloves) if you have it. Inspect batteries for cracks, leaks or other damage. If you find any of these things, do not jump start the car. Call a tow truck instead or replace the battery.

·        It may be necessary to remove the disabled automobile's battery cables from the battery terminals and clean both cables and terminals. Use a stiff wire brush to remove all corrosion. Reconnect the cables to the battery terminals and jump the car.

·        Remove any positive (+) red post protective covers if applicable.

4

Untangle and unwind your jumper cables. Like your battery, your jumper cables will probably have red and black cables and will have heavy-duty clamps to connect to the battery terminals. You must make sure that the red and black ends of your jumper cables never touch each other once they are connected to the batteries; permitting them to do so can result in serious arcing and/or damage to one or both cars.

5

Connect the jumper cables in the order described below:

·        Connect one red clamp to the positive (+) terminal of the dead battery.

·        Connect the other red clamp to the positive (+) terminal of the good battery.

·        Connect one black clamp to the negative (-) terminal of the good battery.

·        Connect the other black clamp to a piece of grounded metal on the dead car,preferably the bolt where the thick negative cable from the battery connects to the chassis. If this is not practical, look for shiny metal (not painted or oily) that is attached to the engine. Usually a nut, bolt or other protruding shiny metal will work. You may see a small spark when you connect to a good ground. As a last resort, you may connect to the negative (-) post of the dead battery, but this risks igniting hydrogen gas coming off the battery.

·        Make sure none of the cables are dangling into the engine compartment, where they could be exposed to moving parts.

6

Start the working car. Let it idle for a few minutes. Do not race the engine, but do rev the engine a little above idle for 30 to 60 seconds. You do this to charge the battery in the dead car, because the starter in the dead car will draw most of the required current (well in excess of 100 amps) from that battery, not through the cables. Common retail jumper cables are not built to pass the current required. Charging the dead battery is a must. If 30 seconds doesn't do it, try charging for the full 60 seconds by keeping the engine at a high idle. A good, clean connection between the battery cables and the battery terminals is essential.

7

Try to start the disabled vehicle. If it does not start, shut the engine off and disconnect the last connection temporarily while you slightly twist or wiggle each of the four clamps to help ensure a good electrical connection. Restart the working car again. Allow another five minutes for charging before attempting to start the disabled vehicle. If this does not work after a few tries, you may need to have the car towed or the battery replaced.

8

Remove the jumper cables once the car starts. Do this in the reverse of the order in which they were attached, and don't let any of the cables or clamps touch each other (or dangle into the engine compartment).

·        Disconnect the black clamp from grounded metal on the dead car.

·        Disconnect the black clamp from the negative (-) terminal of the good battery.

·        Disconnect the red clamp from the positive (+) terminal of the good battery.

·        Disconnect the red clamp from the positive (+) terminal of the dead battery.

·        Replace any positive (+) red post protective covers if applicable. These covers help prevent accidental short circuiting the battery.

9

Keep the recently-disabled car's engine running. Run the car above idle (slightly revved up with your foot on the gas) for five minutes and then on or above idle for 20 minutes before turning it off. This should give the battery enough charge to start the car again. If it does not, you probably have a dead battery or a dying alternator.

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