This kills the car: what drivers should never do in winter

Winter is a challenge not only for human health. Cars also suffer in the cold. Ice, snow, temperature differences between the parking lot and the street, and frost, which affects all technical fluids and components as well. All this can greatly affect the condition of the car.

OBOZREVATEL has collected all the most common mistakes made by drivers in winter. Check if you fall under one of these points. Correct yourself immediately if you...

De-icing your windshield with hot water

Finding your car "blind" in the morning because ice has covered the windshield is unpleasant and you want to get rid of this problem as soon as possible. The easiest way to do this is to splash some hot water on it. But this is a very gross mistake. Indeed, the ice will melt instantly, but the water will penetrate the smallest cracks in the glass and, when the car is stopped again, when it freezes again, it will expand and begin to literally tear the window from the inside. Therefore, the only way to deal with icing is with a scraper and de-icer.

Use hot water to open frozen doors

Boiling water not only damages the windshield but also the paint and seals in the door – they deteriorate when exposed to very high temperatures. It can also flood the electronics of locks, power windows, and other systems.

Use alcohol instead of de-icer

Alcohol can melt ice. And it can be used, for example, to remove ice from door handles and locks if they are frozen. But it will have to be done very, very carefully. As for the windshield, alcohol or cheap vodka will not make it frost-resistant enough. Special products will be much more effective.

Relying too much on WD-40 and its analogs

This spray does help fight excess moisture and can help with ice buildup in some places. But at the same time, WD-40 also washes away the necessary lubricants from surfaces. It also accelerates the wear of parts. Therefore, its use should be approached with great care.

Using force to open a frozen door

If you have the extra time and money to regularly replace door seals that tear when pulled when frozen, then go ahead. But it's better to treat them with a special product to prevent them from freezing – it will definitely be much cheaper, faster, and easier.

You use wipers with frozen blades

The same problem can happen to the rubber bands of frozen wipers. They will simply tear if you run them before they thaw. In addition, such use can damage their mechanism as a whole, as well as the fuse in the corresponding electrical circuit.

Turning on the power windows before you warm up the car

It sounds ridiculous, but in fact, more than one driver has damaged the window drive mechanism by lowering the windows that have not yet thawed. So just don't do it.

Running an unheated engine at high speeds

Modern cars are equipped with engines that do not need special warm-up – just drive slowly, they reach the right temperature on the go. But even they shouldn't be forced to reach more than 2,000 rpm until they're properly warmed up. Wait at least 2 minutes. What can we say about older models that need to warm up properly.

Leaving gadgets in the car

Let's assume that car thieves will never be tempted by your tablet, DVR, or navigator. They will still be affected by frost with a 100% probability because the car interior freezes very quickly without the heater on. And all the time you are not using the car, the interior is very cold. Rechargeable batteries are especially susceptible to freezing. Therefore, everything equipped with them should be removed from the car.

Use additional heating devices

If you don't have a heated seat, you can replace it with an electric blanket or heated pillow. But anything that is heated by electricity consumes a lot of energy. That puts an extra strain on your battery. And it's a big one. There is a risk that it will not cope.

Drive children in a car seat in outerwear

Thick jackets and down jackets reduce the tightness of the seat belt on the body. That is, without removing your child's outerwear or at least unbuttoning it, you put them at increased risk. Therefore, it is better to put your child in the car after you have heated the interior so that you do not worry that he or she will freeze in his or her seat naked.

Driving without low beams on

In Ukraine, traffic rules require drivers to drive with their lights on even during the day between October 1 and May 1. And there's a reason for this. During this period, cloudy weather prevails and visibility on the road decreases. Accordingly, the risk of getting into an accident increases.

Turn on fog lights in clear weather

These lights are called fog lights because they are designed to be used only in foggy conditions. In clear weather, they can blind oncoming drivers. Therefore, daytime running lights or, if they are not available, dipped beams should be turned on during the day.

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