Every year, without fail, winter hits—and it hits us hard, too. Any Albertan can attest: our winter (and by extension, winter driving) is snow joke—pun opportunities notwithstanding. Road conditions change from snowy to slick, all the way to treacherous, in the blink of an eye. Cars parked on the street instead of in a garage pull disappearing acts under heavy overnight snowfall. And of course, insurance agents, paramedics, and AMA employees put in overtime dealing with accidents, claims, and vehicles that just won’t start. If you’re tired of our longest season getting the best of you, then check out our tips on how to prepare your Nissan for winter!
Top tips on how to prep your Nissan for winter driving
- Check your battery: it’s easy to forget about your battery during summer, but when winter rears its ugly head you’ll want to check your battery, cables, and alternator, to avoid being stuck at home or experiencing (an often long) wait for AMA.
- Check your wipers: while it might not seem like a big deal now, when the snow starts falling and visibility is at a low, you’ll wish you had fresh and properly-maintained blades.
- Check your heaters: like wiper blades, checking your heaters and defrosters seems silly now, but it’ll beat a cold car any (and every) day of the week.
- Get a remote start: while a remote start isn’t a requisite for making it through winter, it’s one of those little luxuries in life that is well worth it.
- Check your fluids: a quick flush of your cooling system is a must every two years, but ensuring you’ve got the right fluids for the season (and that they’re all topped up) is a great way to ensure your vehicle is winter-ready.
- Get your oil changed: a less viscous, winter-weight motor oil will keep your Nissan performing its best when the mercury drops.
- Ensure maintenance is up-to-date: beyond an oil change, you’ll want to ensure your transmission, air filters, and other systems are all working properly. Getting stranded is never fun, but getting stranded in sub-zero temperatures is substantially worse.
- Check your lights: headlights, tail lights, interior lights. Check them all, and make sure your visibility, or others’ ability to see you, isn’t impaired.
- Swap to winter tires: despite being the last on our list, using winter tires might be the most important. You can learn why using winter tires is non-negotiable, here.
While your Nissan is already equipped with excellent and intelligent safety features for a smooth drive, you can always be better prepared for when winter hits—whether that means preparing your vehicle for winter, or just checking out our winter driving tips. Now, these are just some of the ways in which you can prepare your Nissan for winter driving, but to learn even more about having a winter-ready vehicle, feel free to give us a call. You can also check out the winter accessories carried at our accessories department, or visit a service department at one of our three conveniently-located dealerships.
