Winter driving 397 |
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8-9 . Winter driving
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& Operation during cold weather
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! Maintenance
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Carry some emergency equipment , such as a window scraper , a bag of sand , flares , a small shovel and jumper cables .
Check the battery and cables . Cold temperatures reduce battery capacity . The battery must be in good condition to provide enough power for cold winter starts .
It normally takes longer to start the engine in very cold weather conditions . Use an engine oil of a proper grade and viscosity for cold weather . Using heavy summer oil will make it harder to start the engine .
Keep the door locks from freezing by squirting them with deicer or glycerin .
Forcing a frozen door open may damage or separate the rubber weather strips around the door . If the door is frozen , use hot water to melt the ice , and afterwards thoroughly wipe the water away .
Use a windshield washer fluid that contains an antifreeze solution . Do not use engine antifreeze or other substitutes because they may damage the paint of
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the vehicle .
If you fill the reservoir tank with a fluid with a different concentration from the one used previously , purge the old fluid from the piping between the reservoir tank and washer nozzles by operating the washer for a certain period of time . Otherwise , if the concentration of the fluid remaining in the piping is too low for the outside temperature , it may freeze and block the nozzles .
CAUTION
. Adjust the washer fluid concentration appropriately for the outside temperature . If the concentration is inappropriate , sprayed washer fluid may freeze on the windshield and obstruct your view , and the fluid may freeze in the reservoir tank .
. State or local regulations on volatile organic compounds may restrict the use of methanol , a common windshield washer antifreeze additive . Washer fluids containing non-methanol antifreeze agents should be used only if they provide cold weather protection without damaging your vehicle ’ s paint , wiper blades
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or washer system .
! Before driving your vehicle
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Before entering the vehicle , remove any snow or ice from your shoes because that could make the pedals slippery and driving dangerous .
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While warming up the vehicle before driving , check that the accelerator pedal , brake pedal , and all other controls operate smoothly .
Clear away ice and snow that has accumulated under the fenders to avoid making steering difficult . During severe winter driving , stop when and where it is safe to do so and check under the fenders periodically .
! Parking in cold weather
WARNING
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Snow can trap dangerous exhaust gases under your vehicle . Keep snow clear of the exhaust pipe and from around your vehicle if you park the vehicle in snow with the engine running .
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Driving tips |
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