Winterize Your Vehicle Safety Inspection: Top-4 Cold Weather Considerations

You already know what goes into a standard vehicle safety inspection, but meeting Ontario’s Passenger / Light-Duty Vehicle Inspection Standard doesn’t guarantee winter safety.

To help our readers prepare for winter driving, today’s post highlights 4 additional items to add to your vehicle safety inspection checklist. Read on to learn more, or contact your local TIRECRAFT to winterize your ride today.

Winterize Your Vehicle Safety Inspection: Top-4 Cold-weather Considerations

1. Emergency supplies. Is your roadside kit winter-ready?

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation recommends that all drivers carry an emergency winter roadside kit that includes a shovel, booster cables, emergency flares or warning lights, a blanket and extra clothes, and a chain for towing. We also recommend bringing an extra car charger for your mobile phone, sand or salt to add traction in slippery situations, and the number of your local TIRECRAFT roadside repair services.

2. Extra windshield washer fluid. When winter conditions arrive, we depend on our windshield wipers to maintain visibility, but even the best wiper blades won’t keep you safe without adequate washer fluid. Windshield washer fluid not only ensures proper cleaning, but also acts as a lubricant for the mechanical device that runs your wipers. To avoid any nasty surprises out on the road this winter, make sure to keep extra windshield washer fluid handy.

3. Exhaust system. Standard vehicle safety inspections already require thorough inspection of your vehicle’s exhaust system, but you should pay it extra attention when winter rolls around.

Why? Because when it’s cold outside, most drivers keep their windows up and their vents closed. That means no ventilation, and if your exhaust is leaking badly enough, you could end up with carbon monoxide poisoning.

Some common signs of exhaust leaks include whistling noises from the engine bay, excessive vibrations from the exhaust system, poor fuel economy, rattling noises from the catalytic converter, and the Check Engine Light (CEL) turning on. If you detect any of these symptoms, get in touch with your local TIRECRAFT for a full vehicle safety inspection and repair service.

4. Winter tires. As long as your tires aren’t cut, cracked, bulging, or leaking, and they have at least 2.1mm of tread depth remaining, they’ll pass Ontario’s Passenger / Light-Duty Vehicle Inspection Standard. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be winter-ready.

For superior winter performance (and substantial insurance discounts), we always recommend switching to a dedicated winter tire once temperatures drop below 7°C. Winter tires use specially formulated rubber compounds that stay soft, pliable, and grippy in freezing temperatures, and they stop 30-40% faster than all-season tires on snow and ice.

Winter tire features vary greatly from one model to the next, but as long as your tires have the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol on the sidewall, you should be alright. If you need help assessing the condition of your current winter tires, or you want to save money on a new set by taking advantage of official rebate programs, get in touch with your local TIRECRAFT!

Register For A Vehicle Safety Inspection At Your Local TIRECRAFT

Whether you need to complete Ontario’s Passenger / Light-Duty Vehicle Inspection Standard, or you want professional help with your winter vehicle safety inspection, your local TIRECRAFT is standing by to help. We’ll provide you with safety tips and a vehicle inspection checklist that will help you keep your vehicle in great condition all throughout the winter season.

Each of our 300+ locations is staffed by qualified professionals equipped with modern inspection tools, and you can collect MyTIRECRAFT Rewards points from any shop in Ontario.

To book a vehicle safety inspection and get answers to any additional questions, get in touch with your local TIRECRAFT now.

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