Wintertime is almost here, and that means the weather will change dramatically in the upcoming months. Snow, ice, and freezing winds can all take a toll on your Jeep, so you’ll need to protect your vehicle from the environment. Also, you need to make sure that you can drive your vehicle safely and comfortably on slick, icy roads and driveways. To drive during the wintertime with ease, learn how to prepare your Jeep Wrangler for colder weather.
Monitor Your Tread and Tire Pressure
To drive safely during the winter, you’ll need winter or all-weather tires. These types of tires will have a “Severe Ice/Snow” symbol on the sidewall, and this means that they are safe to use during winter weather. However, before you drive your vehicle during the winter, you need to check the tire treads. If your treads are low or almost nonexistent, you’ll need some new tires with deeper treads. To check this, you can insert a penny into the tread of your tire. If you can still see Lincoln’s head, it’s time for new tires that are safe to drive on icy or snow-covered roads. The best tires that you can purchase for cold weather are snow tires or off-road tires.
Fill Up Fluids
Before wintertime, remember to fill up all the fluids in your vehicle. This includes coolant, oil, wiper, and brake fluid. These fluids allow your vehicle to run easily and smoothly, which is essential for driving in the wintertime. Also, you can use fuel additives in your Jeep’s fuel to prevent it from freezing. If your Jeep’s fuel freezes, your vehicle will not start, or you’ll notice that it will run roughly. This puts strain on your Jeep, so it’s best to prevent your fuel from freezing if possible. Keep in mind that fuel doesn’t freeze often, but it can happen in extremely cold conditions.
Protect Your Floors From Slush
When you hop in and out of your Jeep, you bring all sorts of slush, ice, and snow into the vehicle. This can damage your Jeep’s interior, so it’s best to use floor liners to protect your vehicle. This will keep the interior of your vehicle clean and dry.
Replace Your Windshield Wipers
To dispose of ice and snow, you’ll need a quality pair of windshield wipers. Using your windshield wipers to remove ice and snow from your windshield will increase your visibility, allowing you to drive safely on the road. With flimsy windshield wipers, it’s challenging to clear ice and snow from your windshield, especially if you need to drive during a snowstorm. Keep in mind that you’ll need to pair these wipers with washer fluid to remove the snow and ice effectively. With durable windshield wipers and quality washer fluid, you can drive safely this winter in your Jeep Wrangler.
Turn On Your Heater
No one enjoys driving during the wintertime with a malfunctioning heater. Before the cold weather arrives, double-check your interior heater. If it doesn’t work, then you’ll need to take it to a mechanic as soon as possible. With a functioning interior heater, the interior of your vehicle will be safe, warm, and comfortable.
Check Your Battery
Cold weather can cause your Jeep’s battery to become sluggish. It’s always a great idea to check your battery before wintertime. If your battery has been acting up, then you need to inspect and replace it. If a battery malfunctions when the weather is warm, it will struggle during the winter when the weather is cold. No one enjoys being stranded in freezing weather, so remember to check your battery and avoid this problem altogether.
Inspect Your Lights
To navigate safely through dark snowstorms, you’ll need bright lights on your Jeep. If you use factory lights, consider switching to aftermarket lights for your Jeep. Aftermarket LED lights are very bright and reliable, so you can use them to see clearly when you drive during the winter. If you encounter severe winter weather, fog lights are also helpful to use in snowstorms. Be sure to test all your lights at night before the cold weather arrives this year.
Store Your Jeep Properly
One of the best ways to protect your Jeep from cold weather is to store it properly. If you leave your Jeep outside, the elements can scratch and damage your vehicle. The best way to store your vehicle is in a garage or covered enclosure. However, you can also use a cover to protect the paint and exterior. Keep in mind that if you use a cover, it might not protect your Jeep from severe weather and hail. Since a garage or covered enclosure will protect your Jeep from all elements, this is the best option for your Jeep Wrangler.
Pack Winter Supplies
It’s always helpful to carry winter supplies in your vehicle. If your vehicle gets stuck driving in deep snow, you can use a winter supply kit to stay safe and warm. Here are some items you can include in your winter kit:
- Gloves. Especially during the wintertime, it is important to keep your hands warm. This will prevent frostbite and other issues that can harm your health. Remember to pack a couple of pairs of warm gloves in your Jeep.
- Thermal blankets. In addition to your hands and feet, you need to keep the rest of your body warm in cold weather. Thermal blankets are more useful than regular blankets since the material traps and retains heat.
- Snow chains. If you encounter deep snow, you can use snow chains to travel safely to your destination.
- Water and non-perishable food. In case of an emergency, clean water and non-perishable foods are always useful and great to have in your Jeep.
- Sand or kitty litter. While these might seem like odd items to keep in your Jeep, they are extremely useful during the winter. If your Jeep becomes stuck in the snow, you can use sand or kitty litter to provide traction for your tires.
Now that you know how to prepare your Jeep Wrangler for colder weather, you are ready to take your vehicle for a spin this winter. To make your trips smoother, you can add a few Jeep Wrangler off-road accessories from our AM Offroad online shop to your vehicle. This winter, remember to keep your vehicle in excellent shape, drive slowly, and be safe.
