Protecting your car from freezing cold

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WDTN) - "Usually hot weather or the first cold spell is when you're going to notice problems with batteries, so people are going to notice slow starts and no starts when when it starts getting cooler in a couple days," said Jeremy Armstrong, Grismer Auto Services.

Armstrong  is the assistant manager at the Grismer Auto Services Center in Springfield.

He says when the temperatures drop below freezing, it is vital drivers take the proper precautions to keep their vehicles running correctly.

Armstrong says drivers must keep their cooling systems at a correct level, so have them tested regularly and flushed if needed.

"Coolant wise you don't want that freezing up, damaging your engine.  So, if you haven't had it done in the last 5 years, 100k on most of the vehicles now is what they recommend, your freezing points are going to be incorrect and cause you some issues.

Armstrong says keep a close eye on your tire tread and pressure.  That might not directly impact if your car starts or not, but it does have an effect on how it performs and your safety on the road.

"Another thing is tread depth . You want to have at least the same tread depth which is at least 4/32 of an inch.  Your legal limit is 2/32.

Armstrong says all those precautions taken before the cold arrives can save you hundreds, even thousands of dollars in the long run.  He says it shouldn't take more than an hour at the auto shop to get your car in shape.