Winter Tips - share your knowledge!

[Big Dav]

With the arrival of winter many of us (we are never too old to learn) can pick up and share tips for driving or using our vehicles which could be of benefit to others. Invariably handbooks don't mention these factors.

May I start the ball rolling with a few usefuls items:

Before operating your wipers make sure they are not frozen to the windscreen/ rear window (consider switching them off when parking up for the day);
Don't operate the "one touch" electric window switch unless you are absolutely sure the side window is not frozen to the frame - window lift motors are costly to replace if they burn out or alternatively the motor could pull the runner off the bottom of the doorglass;
If you tried to open the back door or passenger door(s) and it was frozen, bear in mind the door latch may have released enough to free the door once thawed.
Headlamp height mechanisms can freeze up but the motors may still try and move them without success putting strain on the motors/mechanism parts.

Enjoy the winter David.

[Sir-Doris]

Good stuff.

Make sure you have plenty of screen wash in the bottle, enough to stop it from freezing and bursting the washer lines.

Clear snow from the radiator grill, it can prevent air from passing over the engine and cooling it properly.

Reduced tyre pressure will help grip on snow.

A blow torch or lighter to the tip of the key will thaw frozen door locks after a couple of attempts.

[dave21478]

If you have a frontera A, and you are likely to drive on a mix of snow-covered and clearer roads, before setting off, briefly engage 4wd to lock the front hubs, then shift back to 2wd but don't reverse or roll backwards. This will leave the hubs locked which has no ill effects and allows you to shift between two and four wheel drive without having to stop. ie trundling along in 2wd on ok roads, you see an uphill section covered in snow, you can put it into 4wd without stopping so you dont loose momentum or hold up others on the road, then once up the hill you can shift back to 2wd again without stopping. Always remember that its best to be in the right gear set BEFORE you get to a difficult patch, rather than get stuck part way through it and then have to select the right gears.

Carry a couple of old blankets in the boot. Not only might they keep you warm if things go really wrong and you spend some time in the car, but if you do get stuck on ice or packed snow, laying the blankets out infront of the car and tucking the edge under the wheels will often give enough grip to get the car moving again. If you are really switched on, you could tie them to the rear bumper with long lengths of string so you don't have to stop and walk back to pick them up, you can stop to get them somewhere were you can comfortably get moving again instead.
A bucket of grit is an alternative idea, but once you have used it, its harder to pick it up again!

Know where your recovery points are. Have a strap or rope in the car to be recovered yourself if you need it, or if you are confident in your own abilities to help others. Dont take risks helping others though, no point in you getting stuck too, and be carefull.... towing someone out of a ditch will make them happy, but if you tear their bumper off in the process, they will be a lot less pleased. Watch out for dimwits who don't know how to be towed....turning the steering in the wriong direction or rolling into your car as they come free. Also bear in mind that many modern cars have silly wee towing eyes that might be too small for your shackle pin to fit through - if you plan on being a good samaratin the perhaps find a smaller shackle for this sort of situation.

Have good condition wiper blades and a clean windscreen. Its still possible for the screenwash to freeze up even with additives, so perhaps carry a wee spray bottle of it in the car too, so you can put some on the screen when stopped.

[drinksoptional]

[Rifleman]

Carry a good metal spade or shovel, not one of those plastic snow shovels, as they wont move hard packed snow/ice.
Always make sure you clear ALL windows properly, and remove the snow form your bonnet and more importantly, the roof.
As it flies off and hits vehicles behind you, or lands on your windscreen when you brake.
(Its also illegal)
Use your dipped headlamps in snow, as you do in rain. (This is also the law)
When parking up for any period of time during snow, lift the wipers off the screen so they do not freeze to the screen.
Lubricate the door locks with copperslip, as it does not freeze, and keeps the locks working.
(I use a small syringe)
Keep a hi viz vest or jacket in the car in case you get stuck and need to be outside.
I have a very warm hi viz breakdown jacket.
Make sure you always have plenty of fuel in the tank.

[Rich]

some good tips there folks keep them coming

1 from me dont eat yellow snow

[Road Hog]

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[Drift]

Keep all your lights clean, rock salt and grit will stick to them an reduce their effectiveness, you cant see forwards and others may not see you.

Keep sunglasses handy as late afternoon the sun can be very low and dazzling, but remember to remove them once your in a shaded area or travelling the opposite direction to the glare.

[Krusher]

Make sure you have a fully charged mobile phone with you, you may need it!!

[Nottingham]

Woohoo, finally some proper snow well, at lot of it is common sense and was already covered above.

Start with checking your anti freeze/coolant quality and ratio and if needed replace it as soon as. Make sure you keep enough anti freeze in the washer bottle, check the tyre pressure (slightly lower pressure is better on snow), keep the lights clean, wipers off the screen at night, park car in gear rather than handbreak on (particular, when you just been out in the dirt) as it will prevent your brakes from freezing up. Also, check the battery & alternator - both need to work properley at this time of the year

Make sure you have always enough fuel in the tank - for the diesel fronties, if the temperatures should drop extremly, put a couple of litres of petrol into a full tank, this will help to keep the diesel flowing.

Door seals should be treated with rubber seal cream to prevent them from freezing up (if you wash your car, always dry the door seals out straight afterwards) if you can't get any of the seal cream, you can also use some olive oil and wipe the seal with them.

As for the car, if you travel a lot, make sure you have a good tool set, a blanket or sleeping bag, a torch, fully charged phone, shovel, brush and all the other goodies like recovery kit, 1st aid kit, warning triangle, etc. with you - might come in handy.

Other than this, plan more time for your journey and be patient

[FUDDY MUCKER]

DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT !!!!

Joking apart, if you are not used to how a 4x4 handles in this type of weather, my advise is to find a large car park and have a practice.

Try braking, steering whilst braking, as the fronty is a rear wheel drive, try to get the back end to step out and then control the skid to a safe stop.

Might be common sence, but a 4x4 handles totally different to a small family hatch back.

[alex]

Remember you accelerate a lot quicker than you can stop.

You can power around a bend easily, but slowing under brakes for turnings you will under steer a pig.


I'm with Fuddy, old heads will enjoy the snow, if you havent experienced the large rear wheel drive in the snow find a car park and learn to drift. The reactions you learn will be very handy one day.

[jammywagonwheel]

[crabman]

4WD does not allow you to ignore the laws of physics .

[FUDDY MUCKER]