While the sun might be high in the sky and the temperature might still be somewhat comfortable, winter is technically upon us. If you haven’t already, now might be the perfect time to take care of some winter service for your Dodge, Jeep or RAM vehicle before the snow begins to fall more heavily and regularly. Here at Jim Glover CDJRF, we want to make sure your vehicle is operating as well as it should be to keep you and your passengers safe throughout the rough weather and road conditions of winter. So we’ve put together a winter service checklist for owners to use before winter truly arrives.
Inspect Battery
One of the first things you should do is inspect your battery. When the temperature begins to plummet, the chemical reactions that happen inside your battery are slowed, which reduces its ability to hold a charge. Pop the hood and check for corrosion on the terminals, cleaning if necessary, then have your battery itself checked to make sure it can hold a proper charge. This step is especially important if your battery is older than three years.
Inspect Tires
Another one of the most important things to take care of before winter conditions get heavy, your tires are responsible for keeping you steady on slick roads. You need to inspect their tread depth to make sure you’ll get enough traction, but you’ll also need to check your tire pressure – and continue doing so throughout the season – as cold weather can cause pressure loss. Consider upgrading to winter tires or adding tire chains to enhance your safety and stability through the season.
Inspect Wipers
Your wipers are incredibly important as well, especially if you’re going to be driving during severe winter weather like heavy snowfall. Check your wiper blades to make sure they’re in good condition – run them with some washer fluid and see if they leave streaks or make obnoxious sounds – and if they’re not, replace them right away! Consider upgrading to winter-rated wiper blades if you weren’t already.
Inspect Brakes
What time of year it is has no bearing on how important your brakes are to the driving experience, obviously. But when you have to worry about icy or wet roads like you do through the winter, you do want to make sure they’re in tip-top shape. Check your brake pads for proper thickness and that your brake rotors are in good condition.
Inspect Fluids
Another thing that low temperatures can do is thicken fluids, which can make it more difficult for your engine to operate efficiently. Now is the perfect time to check all of your various fluids to ensure that they’re not only at the proper levels but of good quality. This includes each of the following fluids:
- Brake fluid
- Coolant/antifreeze levels
- Engine oil (consider switching to a winter‑grade oil if recommended)
- Power steering fluid
- Transfer case fluid
- Transmission fluid
- Windshield washer fluid
Prepare Emergency Kit
Now that you’ve gone through all of your inspections, the only thing left to do is to prepare your emergency kit. If you already have one, look through it to make sure nothing is missing or in poor quality, check through your first aid kit to make sure the supplies within are still plentiful, make sure your flashlight batteries are solid and, lastly, add a few winter exclusives to your kit like blankets, warm clothing and an ice scraper. If you don’t already have an emergency kit in your vehicle, it’s a great idea to have one all year round. In addition to the winter add-ons we already mentioned, your kit should have things like the following:
- Flashlight
- Jumper cables
- First‑aid kit
- Non‑perishable snacks
- Portable phone charger
Trust Jim Glover CDJRF for Your Winter Service Needs
We hope that this checklist will help you get your Dodge, Jeep or RAM vehicle in great working condition before winter truly arrives here in Oklahoma. If you have any questions about your Stellantis vehicle, or would like to schedule a multi-point inspection or any other winter service appointment, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us right here at Jim Glover CDJRF. We look forward to hearing from you!