CHRIS LOWREY
PONTIAC Oct. 18, 2017
Unlike the summer driving season – with the warm weather and long cruises looming – winter isn’t exactly a time of year many drivers look forward to.
But, it’s one of the most important times of year for us Canadians to prepare for when it comes to driving our vehicles.
With that in mind, Mark Trudeau from Trudeau Collision has a few tips for drivers before the snow hits the ground.
First thing’s first: snow tires. They’re mandatory in Quebec so that means you have to have them on by Dec. 15. Not only that, but Trudeau says that it’s important for drivers to check the quality of the tires before installing them.
Trudeau said many people take their time in the spring before removing their snow tires. After all, we live in Canada and the chance of a May snowfall isn’t that farfetched.

Many drivers are also guilty of leaving their summer windshield washer mix in during the winter months.
“I get a lot of that, when it does turn cold customers come in and say ‘my windshield washer fluid isn’t working,’ well it’s all frozen because they’ve got the summer stuff,” Trudeau said.
When it comes to winter vehicle prep, many people take their cars in for rustproofing. However, Trudeau said that the best time of year to do that isn’t the fall but the springtime.
“That’s when you get all the condensation,” he said. “If you do it now, it’s pretty well frozen for the rest of the winter.”
Trudeau did say that it doesn’t hurt to grease the locks on doors at this time of year.
One of the main issues people often face when the first big snowstorm hits is the fact that their windshield wipers aren’t quite up to par. Nobody likes having to peer through a streaky windshield in a whiteout.
He recommends having a mechanic take a look at the front and back windshield wipers to make sure they are ready and capable of handing the rigours of a Canadian winter.
One of the most important fluids in a vehicle during the winter is the coolant. Trudeau says it’s important for drivers to get their coolant tested so that the ratio is right for cold temperatures.
“It wouldn’t hurt to have the battery tested out to make sure it’s good,” Trudeau said. It’s the worst nightmare of many of us when it comes to our vehicles: going out on a cold February morning to start the car and hearing nothing. Making sure that the battery is in good shape can save drivers a headache down the road.
Many of us are also guilty of running out to the vehicle on cold winter mornings and letting it run until the temperature gauge has risen. Trudeau said that most cars nowadays only need 30 seconds to a minute and they should be good to go.
Best of luck this winter fellow drivers, and here’s to hoping our vehicles can get us through.