Winter Driving 371 |
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8-10 . Winter Driving
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& Operation during Cold Weather s08ai01
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 the vehicle .
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If you fill the windshield washer tank with a fluid with a different concentration from the one used previously , purge the old fluid from the piping between the windshield washer 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
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. 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 windshield washer tank .
. Be careful foreign matter does not contaminate the washer fluid when filling the tank . Contamination could cause malfunctions , such as clogging the pump .
. 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
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agents should be used only if they provide cold weather protection without damaging your vehicle ’ s paint , wiper blades or washer system . |
! Before driving your vehicle s08ai0101
Before entering the vehicle , remove any snow or ice from your shoes because that could make the pedals slippery and driving dangerous .
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
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8
Driving Tips
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