Winter Car Checks Every East London Driver Should Do

Cold weather accelerates wear, drains batteries, and turns slow punctures into flat tyres overnight. A few checks in October or November save a lot of hassle in January.

Battery

Cold weather significantly reduces battery capacity. A battery that starts the car fine in September may struggle in January — especially if it's over 3 years old. If your engine is slow to turn over or you've had any electrical gremlins, get the battery tested before winter. A battery test takes a few minutes and is free at Reliance Autos with any service.

Tyres

Check tread depth (legal minimum is 1.6mm, but we recommend at least 3mm going into winter for better wet weather grip) and tyre pressures. Cold air causes tyre pressure to drop — check monthly and after any significant temperature drop. Look for bulges, cracks, or uneven wear while you're at it.

Coolant and antifreeze

Your coolant needs adequate antifreeze concentration to prevent the water in the system from freezing. Most coolants are premixed, but if the car has been topped up with plain water, the concentration may be too low. We check antifreeze protection as part of every service — it's a simple test with a refractometer.

Brakes

Wet roads, leaves on the road, and cold temperatures all reduce grip. If your brake pads were marginal at your last service, replace them before winter rather than running them down further. Brakes are less effective in the cold until they warm up — another reason to avoid late, heavy braking in the first few minutes of a journey.

Wipers and screenwash

Check your wiper blades — if they're streaking or juddering, replace them. More importantly, make sure your screenwash reservoir is topped up with a winter-formulation fluid, not plain water. Plain water freezes in the pipes and can split the reservoir or jets. Use a fluid rated to at least -10°C.

Lights

With reduced daylight hours, your lights are used more than any other time of year. Check all lights — headlights, brake lights, indicators, reversing lights — and replace any blown bulbs before they cause problems. A faulty brake light is an MOT failure and, more importantly, a safety risk.

Want us to run through your car before winter? WhatsApp Reliance Autos and we'll get it booked in.