3 Winter Car Problems We See Every January
At Ek Automotive we’ve been fixing cars in Edison Park since 1991, in that time we’ve seen it all. Of the many many things we’ve seen come through our doors we say with confidence January is one of if not the hardest month on car on the road in Chicago. Thus we’ve put together the 5 most common problems we see our customers facing and what can be done to fix or even avoid them all together.
Dead Batteries These Chicago January’s are hard on batteries. When it gets cold outside your battery needs to work exponentially harder to start your car, even more so if the battery is later into its lifespan. Things to look out for with an aging and weakening battery: The engine turning over slower the normal. Lights being dim both inside and outside of the car. A clicking noise as the car tries to start. The best way to avoid these things is get your battery tested before it starts to fail. The average lifespan of a battery is 3-5 years depending on the size and car its installed in.
Flat Tires As temperatures outside drop so does your cars tire pressure light. We’ve all seen that tire pressure light come on in the winter and it means you need to get your tires checked sooner rather then later. A low tire can wear unevenly and can reduce traction on slick or icy roads. The best way to prevent that is checking tire pressure weekly, even if the light is not on, and addressing it as soon as the light comes on.
No Heat As odd as it sounds your cars heating system works hand in had with your engines cooling system. As coolant flows through your engine it gets hot, reaching up to 200 degrees in some cases. The coolant itself has to be cooled back down as it flows through your radiator and when your heat is on that radiator is supplemented with something called a heater core. The heater core is a mini radiator itself that a fan in your dashboard will blow across giving the inside of your car nice warm temperatures. If your finding the inside of your car is not as warm as it could be its very commonly a fault in the cooling system, either a leak or something more. And cooling system problem needs to be addressed as it can lead to your car overheating which itself can cause a whole host of other issues. If you notice your heat is blowing cold it important you get your car in right away to be checked out
