Times Advocate, 1999-10-20, Page 17• •
:341-0:,
Wednesday,October 20, 1999
Car. Care
AreYou Up For ColdWeather
Dnving?
low gear with as little other drivers. If you do often diminished due to
braking as possible. not have access to a sleet, snow, rain or fog.
If your vehicle breaks phone, create a "Call Therefore, it is even more
down, don't panic. Pull as Police" sign to hang in important to take advan-
far off the road as possi- your rear window. tage of driving during
b l e and use common If possible, do not tray- daylight. Driving at night,
sense. Your greatest per- el alone. Even if you are coupled with winter
sonal danger at this point travelling just a short dis- weather can result in
is that of being hit by a tante, it is best to travel dangerous situation's.
passing car. Stay put until with someone. Let a rela- Finally, if the winter
help comes, and run your tive, friend or neighbour road conditions prove to
engine and heater for know where you are be tough, don't feel bad
short intervals only, mak- heading and let him or about "staying in" and
ing sure the windows are her know your planned rescheduling your trip
cracked open. arrival time. when the weather per -
Either turn on your Try to travel during mits safe driving condi-
warning lights or open daylight hours. Visibility tions.
your hood to signal your when driving in winter
emergency situation to weather conditions is
(MASI)-Let's face it, win- tery, electrical system,
ter driving is no joy ride. headlights/tail lights,
Whether you're driving to emergency flashers,
your local supermarket or directional signals, igni-
trekking across the coun- tion, defroster and
try, winter weather condi- exhaust system.
tions can present treach- Be Prepared For The
erous obstacles for any Worst
driver, especially those If your trunk is loaded
heading out unprepared. with a blanket or sleeping
To ensure that you bag, candles and nonper-
aren't left out in the cold ishable food items, you're
this winter, here are on the road to surviving
some suggestions to make winter driving this sea -
driving this winter a safer son. It's also a good idea
and less stressful experi- to include:
ence. -• • first aid kit
Don't:;:=Overlook The • jumper cables
Importance Of Vehicle • tire inflator
Maintenance • shovel
Winter conditions can • tool kit
take a toll on vehicles and • matches
present some hefty • cellular phone
mechanical problems. • flashlight with
That's why one of the extra batteries
smartest things you can • tire chains
do as a driver is to give • rope
your vehicle a winter • ice scraper,
check-up and/or tune-up. snow brush
Like many Canadians, you • gloves, hats, boots
may be inexperienced in • road flares
car maintenance. If this is • bag of sand
the case, make sure you or kitty litter
take your car to. a reliable Once you have winter -
automotive technician ized your vehicle and
whom you or someone packed your survival kit,
you know trusts. there are some tips to
When you .bring your help you arrive safely at
vehicle in, ask your teeh- your destination.
nician to make the follow- Always slow down and
ing in top condition: increase following dis-
brakes, tires, radiator, tances when driving in
windshield wipers, .bat- bad weather conditions.
Tailing other automobiles
in any condition is unsafe,
but in winter, snow and
ice can make stopping
distances much longer. In
addition, be aware that
entrance and exit ramps
can be icy even when
highway roads or other
areas are clear.
Always clean off the
entire car before driving
it anywhere. Keep your
windshield, windows,
headlights and tail lights
clean. If snow or salt;
builds up while driving,
stop at a safe place to use
a snow.. brush or scraper.
Use the car defroster and
a clean cloth to keep the
windows free of fog.
Be more observant.
Because visibility is often
limited in winter, weather
conditions, slow down
and watch for other vehi-
cles. Also make sure all
mirrors in your car are
properly positioned.
On upgrades, keep far
enough behind the vehicle
ahead so you won't have
to slow down or stop. This
will allow you to maneu-
ver around obstacles and
to gain a little extra speed
at the bottom of the hill to
give momentum that will
help carry you over the
top. At the hill crest,
reduce speed to a mini-
mum, then descend in a
Autumn Is No Time To NeglectYour Tires
(CCC) -Falling leaves may
mean the end of summer,
but a change of season
doesn't mean you should
change good habits when
it comes to taking proper
care of your tires, accord-
ing
ccord ing to the Tire Industry
Safety Council.
"When outside temper-
atures begin to drop, tires
should be checked at least
once a month because
cold weather reduces
your tire's inflation pres-
sure," says Council
Chairman Thomas E..
Cole. "Driving on underin-
flated tires causes tire
tread to wear,faster and
unevenly."
"Underinflated tires
also reduce ride perfor-
mance, affect vehicle han-
dling, and decrease your
vehicle's fuel efficiency"
Cole adds. A tire is consid-
ered significantly underin-
flated when it is four or
more pounds below the
recommended air pres-
sure.
Another good habit to
continue in the fall,
according to Cole, is to
check your tires for
uneven wear patterns.
"Uneven wear may signal
improper inflation pres-
sures, misalignment, tire
and wheel imbalance or
suspension problems,"
Cole explains.
Misalignment in the
front or rear end of your
car, and mechanical prob-
lems such as improperly
operating brakes or shock
absorbers, bent wheels or
sprung axle housings, can
all cause uneven tread -
wear. "All these systems
should be checked period-
ically by a qualified
mechanic as speci-
fied by the vehi-
cle owner's man-
ual or whenever
you , have any
indication of
trouble," Cole
says.
Irregular tire wear can
often be corrected by
rotating your tires. Check
your car owners manual
or consult the tire manu-
facturer for the appropri-
ate rotation pattern for
your vehicle. After rota-
tion, adjust each tire's air
pressure to the appropri-
ate level for its new loca-
tion, as recommended by
the vehicle manufacturer.
"Your tires were
designed to give you many
thousands of miles of
excellent service. But you
must take good care of
them in order to get opti-
mum mileage," Cole says.
The Council Offers
These Fall Driving Tips
• Take it easy on
wet roads. Stopping
on a wet road can
take up to four
times the normal
distance on a dry
road. As water
accumulates on
the road, tires
with shallow tread tend to
hydroplane as speed
increases, particularly
over 40 mph (65 kph).
• Watch for
autumn leaves. Even
when it's not raining,
leaves have a tendency to
retain moisture and cre-
ate a slippery surface for
tires.
• , Look for built-in
treadwear indicators
called "wear bars," (nar-
row strips of smooth rub-
ber across, the tread).
When these appear it's
time to replace your tires.
Car Care Council
ROB DALE MOTORS
Your complete auto control for alt makes & Modell
Hwy. #4 Centralia 228.6810
Winter Check up Special
$35.95 + PST & GST
• Free windshield washer fluid
• 011, lube, filter • Coolant check
• Complete under -carriage Inspetdon
Dripless Oil Spray
Now - starting at
6(
9
COME HOME TO
(*TOYOTA
TOYOTA SERVICE oua,,.coua
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sears— ..
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Dear Customer:
Winter with all its challenges will soon be with us. Call us today for a service appointment and let
'. us,make sure that your.Toyota is ready for the challenge. - . .'! ..I.
WIC . Bruce Hodge, Service Manager,
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Value! ONLY
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We are dedicated to providing the Quolt' Service experience •
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*Fix your vehicle -right, the first dme •Honour the price as quoted .
*Complete the work by the time promised. This is our commitment to pOU.
8 - S Mon. - Fri.
9 - 1 Sat.
235-2353
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