When the National Weather Service uses terms like life threatening and very dangerous, you know they mean business. And when it comes to traveling on this dangerous cold weather, you don't want to have a car breakdown, it could be life threatening.

The best advice for these wind chill warnings posted in the area is to stay home. It is New Year's Eve weekend after all and for many, it's time to party. I found some sound tips for you to use before the extremely cold weather hits the area to help your car or truck survive. In these cold conditions, you'll hear knocks and noises your car has never made before.

I spoke to Dustin Steckler from Advance Fleet Services in Bismarck today and he shared some tips for your car or truck during this cold weather.

 

  • First and foremost, make sure you have a current winter survival kit in your car or truck.
  • Check your battery and battery cables. Clean off any corrosion from the battery posts. Change your battery if nectary! And before locking your car for the night, you can leave your heater and defroster on, for auto-start vehicles. Outside of that, before parking the car for the night, shut off the electrical accessories and phone chargers on your cigarette lighter.
  • Wiper-blades- Visibility is important in all forms of weather, but winter conditions can limit visibility. If your blades need to be changed, it's worth the $20.
  • Check your fluids and check for non-freezing windshield wiper fluid is in your reservoir. (this is clearly labeled on most cars and trucks)
  • Check your tire-pressure, having the correct tire pressure is essential for proper handling. Check your tires, bald tires do not handle well in the snow.
  • With wind-chill values in the minus 55 range, if you have an engine block heater, plug it in for the night.
  • If your check engine light is on, get that checked out before taking any long trips this weekend

This is a basic list for the regular guy or woman that knows very little about the working parts of an engine but can look under a hood and find the battery cables and check tire pressure.

If you have any doubt, it is always best to have a certified mechanic check your engine so you and your family can be safe in this very cold weather.

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