5 New Year’s Resolutions for Drivers: Tire & Vehicle Maintenance

Last year, you swore you’d learn how to change a flat tire, fill your tires with air, and check the oil regularly. 


This year, give yourself another set of New Year’s Resolutions so you can stay safe and help keep your car young.


Here are 5 New Year's Resolutions for Drivers;

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I will have my winter tires installed long before the first snowfall
Why put on your winter tires before the snow? Because it’s not just about the snow. It’s about the temperature. Summer and all-season tires have a different rubber compound that’s designed to stay flexible at temperatures above 7 C. They’re as hard and unable to grip ice as a hockey puck when the thermometer dips below 7 C.

All-weather and winter tires, however, are designed to stay soft at temperatures below 7 C, and they have an aggressive tread pattern as well as siping to bite ice and push away slush. 

I will learn what TPMS is and take care of that lit up TPMS symbol on my dashboard
Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) help you prevent tire failure by alerting you when one or more of your tires is significantly underinflated. If your vehicle is equipped with TPMS, you can help prevent blowouts and injuries by familiarizing yourself with TPMS and taking action when the TPMS warning light appears on your dashboard.

I will keep my gas tank at least half-full
Of course it would be awful to run out of gas late at night far from a station, but there’s an even more important reason why you should try to keep your gas tank half-full throughout the winter. Condensation forms in your fuel tank, and when temperatures drop, that condensation can freeze if there’s not at least a half-full tank of gas.

I will pack an emergency kit for my car
Could you survive for a few hours if your vehicle slid into a snowbank in the mountains? This year, enjoy the peace of mind of knowing you’d be fine by finally getting together some emergency supplies for you and for your vehicle. Not sure what to pack? Give us a call and we'll help you with a list we have on hand.

I will check and/or replace my wiper blades at least twice a year
The best way for you to see the road is with a clear windshield, and that means your wiper blades need to be in top shape. If the rubber is cracked or the frame is bent, you’re going to see streaks instead of bumps or pedestrians on the road.

Checking your wiper blades at least every six months—or when you have your summer and winter tires changed over—helps ensure you’ll have a clear view of the road.

Do you have your own New Year’s resolutions for driving and your vehicle?