Winter car maintenance checklist: 7 important steps to take

Canada has so many great places to explore and fun activities to enjoy all year round! Great road trips don’t need to take a back seat once the snow flies. However, safe winter driving does call for some preparation. Follow our 7-step winter car maintenance checklist to get your car ready for winter road trips and make your travel safe and stress-free.

Some of the steps outlined here are a regular part of ongoing upkeep. Others may surprise you with the difference they’ll make in getting you safely to your destination, even in bad weather.

Have questions about getting your car ready for winter? Ask the automotive experts in our Facebook community!

Step 1: Change to winter tires

We can’t emphasize this enough: in Canada, winter tires are essential. Winter tires are mandatory in Quebec and most of British Columbia, but they’re not a legal requirement in other provinces. But you absolutely should not skip putting winter tires on your vehicle, no matter where you live. You never know when the urge to take winter road trips might strike!

Is it worth getting winter tires?

If the average daily temperature where you live regularly drops below 7 degrees Celsius (45 degrees Fahrenheit), you need winter tires. The rubber compound used in other tire types such as all-seasons or summer tires harden at lower temperatures. This means they can’t provide as much grip in the cold as winter tires do. This is true even on clear pavement!

This is also true of mud and snow tires (M&S tires) and all-terrain tires. While these tires may perform decently in snow when there’s something to grip, they also don’t performance well at temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius. A set of dedicated winter tires is critical for safe winter driving, especially in conditions like black ice where you’re dealing with sheer, flat pavement.

The only exception to this is if you choose to buy all-weather tires. These tires are designed to offer a middle ground between summer and winter performance. They’re not perfect in either scenario, but they can be a cost-effective tire for people who live in places that don’t often experience severe winter conditions.

When should you put winter tires on?

Once the average daily temperature in your area drops below 7 degrees Celsius (45 degrees Fahrenheit), it’s time to get your winter tires installed. In most of Canada, this typically happens sometime in October or November.

Unless you have access to an air gun and a torque wrench and know what you’re doing, you’ll need to have your tires changed by a professional. When it’s time for our tire changes, we call George at Toronto Mobile Mechanics. We love the convenience of having our tires changed in the driveway while we work in our home office. (This is not a paid endorsement! We just find George to be honest, reliable, and great to work with.)

How to inspect winter tires to prepare for winter driving

Before having your winter tires installed, be sure to check the tread and sidewalls for bulges or cracks. Look over the rims to inspect for dents that may cause the tire to leak. It’s also important to measure the tread depth to ensure it’s within a safe amount.

What pressure should your tires be? You can verify the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressures by checking the tire and loading information sticker. This is located inside the driver’s side door and will give you the correct pressures for inflating your tires.

How do you measure winter tire tread depth in Canada?

To have enough grip for winter conditions, a winter tire should have at least 5/32″ to 6/32″ of tread remaining. Here in Canada, we have a very easy way to check this. Take a quarter and point it with the caribou’s nose facing straight down, then place it into the tread. If you can see the tip of the caribou’s nose, your tires don’t have enough tread and need to be replaced.

How do you check tire pressure?

It’s easy to check tire pressures on your own. Check the recommended pressures on the tire and loading information sticker inside your driver’s side door. Then visit your local gas station, where you’ll find an air pump with a tire pressure gauge built in. Take the cap off each tire’s valve and use the nozzle on the air pump to check the pressure in each tire. Then, hit the trigger on the pump’s nozzle to top the air off as needed.

Your tires should be as close to cold as possible to get an accurate pressure reading. It’s better to do this earlier in the day after a short drive than right after a long highway run.

It’s important to monitor tire pressures on an ongoing basis to get the best performance. Aim to check your tire pressures once per month, as part of your winter car maintenance checklist, and immediately before starting any long road trip. This is especially important to do before a winter road trip since colder temperatures can affect tire pressure.

Step 2: Get your car’s oil changed

Getting your car’s oil changed at regular intervals is essential to keep the engine running smoothly. Some cars have shorter recommended oil change intervals such as every 8,000 kilometres or six months, while others can go up to a year or 16,000 kilometres before needing a change. You can find the the manufacturer’s recommendation for your car in the owner’s manual.

In Canada, remembering when to change your car’s oil is easy. If your car’s recommended oil change interval is every six months, time your seasonal tire and oil changes together at the same intervals. If your car requires an oil change every 16,000 kilometres or annually, the best time to do it is in the autumn with your change to winter tires. Newer oil is more viscous, meaning it flows better, which is important to help keep your engine moving in colder weather.

Each time you’re planning a longer road trip, consider how long it’s been since your last oil change. If you’ll cover enough distance that it would push you into your next oil change interval, it’s a good idea to take care of this before you depart.

Step 3: Change your windshield wipers

How often should you change your car’s windshield wipers? Your car needs a new set of wipers at least once per year. Over time, the rubber strip on a wiper blade becomes weathered, pitted, and stiff. This can lead to streaking and make the blades less effective at keeping your windshield clear. New blades typically cost roughly $20 each. This a quick and easy job you can take care of on your own.

Before you start, here’s an important tip: make sure you know how the wiper blades connect to the arms on your car so you can buy a blade with a compatible clip. Many vehicles take wipers with a standardized clip, but some use custom clips. You can find information on how to disconnect the wiper blade from the arm in your owner’s manual. Try it yourself before you buy a new set so you know what sort of connector to look for.

You’ll also need to know what sizes of wiper blades to buy for your vehicle. Typically, you’ll find a guidebook or digital tablet showing the correct sizes for your car’s make and model year next to the wiper blade display at your favourite auto parts store. If a car has two windshield wiper blades, it’s common for them to be two different sizes. Be alert to this as you’re looking up sizing information.

Step 4: Change your windshield washer fluid

Did you know there’s more than one formulation for windshield washer fluid? The summer formulation is better at removing stuck-on bugs and grime from your glass. The version designed for winter contains antifreeze, which helps melt snow and ice so your windshield stays clear in snowstorms and colder weather. Some formulations work in all seasons. You can find this information on the product’s label.

If you’ve been using the winter formulation all year long until now, that’s no problem. Simply top up your windshield washer fluid and you’re good to go. You can switch to summer fluid in the late spring if you think its properties would help you.

When you’ve got the summer formulation in your tank and the temperature dips, it’s time to switch to wiper fluid with antifreeze. The easiest method is to just wait until the reservoir is empty and refill it then with the winter formulation. If your reservoir is close to but not completely empty and the weather dips below freezing, you can mix winter solution in the reservoir. The summer solution dilutes the winter fluid’s concentration, so consider spending more on a fluid that’s formulated for lower temperatures if you go this route.

If you have a significant amount of summer fluid left as it gets closer to winter, you could empty the reservoir by getting under the car to disconnect the hose, or you could try siphoning it off with a tube. But many people just opt to overdo it with the spray for a few days to empty the tank.

Step 5: Clean the inside of your car’s windows

Keeping the outside of your windows clear is important for visibility, but wiping them down from the inside is just as critical. When there’s dirt and grime on the inside of the glass, the moisture in the air can cling to it for longer and frost over in the cold. By cleaning the inside of your car’s windows, you’ll see a substantial improvement in how quickly your windows will clear.

You can buy a streak-free window cleaner at your favourite auto parts store, or a simple glass cleaner and a microfibre cloth will do the trick. If you go with the latter, use a second clean microfibre cloth to dry the glass after you’ve wiped it down to wipe away streaks that could impede your visibility. While you’re in there, give your rearview mirror a wipe, too.

Step 6: Swap out your floor mats to protect your carpet

When you and your passengers are getting into your vehicle with wet and salt-covered winter boots, the upholstery in summer floor mats doesn’t stand a chance. It’s worth investing in a set of sturdy rubber floor mats to keep dirt and salt from getting ground into your car’s upholstery.

Winter floor mats can be cleaned easily by hosing them down before storage. Doing this simple semi-annual swap as you prepare for winter driving will keep your carpets looking good as new. As a bonus, your car will look well cared for and will be be worth more on the used car market.

Step 7: Assemble a winter car emergency kit

Finally, it’s incredibly important be prepared for emergencies when driving in Canadian winters. Assembling a winter car emergency kit should be a non-negotiable step on your winter car maintenance checklist.

When you put together a winter emergency kit for your car, add blankets for warmth and spare food and water in case you get stranded. You should also stock it with supplies for getting yourself unstuck from a ditch or restarted if your battery dies. We’ve provided a full set of instructions for assembling a winter car emergency kit.

Now, you’re ready for winter driving adventures! Where will this year’s winter road trips take you?

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