Students who have to drive to school or work should take precautions to keep their cars running well in cold weather, local mechanics said.
Temperatures have been below freezing since the beginning of the Spring Semester, which can sometimes cause car trouble.
But Keith Johnson, store manager of Sparks Computerized Car Care in Muncie, said most of the problems he sees are preventable, including dead batteries, loss of heat and tire repairs.
“Those who take preventable repairs are less likely [to experience a] breakdown than those who don’t,” Johnson said.
James Sams has been working on cars for more than 30 years. His family owns Sams Auto Service in Carmel, Ind. He echoed the importance of maintaining cars, rather than waiting until something breaks.
“If your car has over 100,000 miles, getting a tune up from a local mechanic or having your oil changed at regular intervals may cost a little, but compared to what it could [cost] is minimal.”
Keeping tabs on the battery is important, Sams said. Just checking under the hood can show if the battery could cause problems in the future.
“Look for powdery white dust on your battery’s post. It can cause a ‘no connection' [light], but doesn’t mean the battery is bad,” he said..
Both mechanics endorsed warming up cars before driving them. This is good for the engine and can actually increase the life of a vehicle.
“Wait until you have heat,” Johnson said. “This will give your car the time to get fluids into the engine so it is not running metal on metal.”
Even in a rush, Sams said it’s important to give a car “five minutes at least, but don’t just get into your car and go.”
Sams also recommended always having at least a quarter tank of gas in a car to keep it from freezing and to consult the vehicle’s owner’s manual with any doubts.
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