Improve Your Driving Visibility For Winter

Fall is finally here and dropping temperatures mean falling leaves and branches, ice, and rain are going to make driving more challenging and the hazards on the roadways harder to see. If you are unprepared for cold temperatures and bad weather, you could find yourself stranded on the side of the road or, even worse, in an accident that you could easily have avoided. If you want to make sure that your car, light truck, van, SUV or CUV  is properly prepared to handle the fall and winter weather, come into one of the 45 local Dobbs Tire & Auto Centers today. Our teams of expert tire technicians and certified automotive service technicians will get your maintenance needs taken care of in one quick trip so you can get back on the road.

Windshield Visibility

When you think of visibility in your car, the first thing that should come to mind is the condition of your windshield. Cracks in your windshield, old wipers, or poor maintenance can leave you with an obstructed view, making it almost impossible to drive safely through the fall weather. Windshield cracks are extremely dangerous as fall transitions into winter as the cold exterior temperatures mixed with the warm temperature of your interior can cause rapid expansion and contraction of the glass. If left unchecked, existing cracks can grow rapidly as the temperature shifts. Save yourself from an expensive windshield replacement by getting sizable cracks repaired promptly before they get worse.

Wiper Blades

Wiper blades are often the most finicky and easily broken components on a vehicle. These thin pieces of rubber and plastic deal with the most wear and tear from Mother Nature, and they need to be replaced frequently. It is recommended that you change both your front and rear wiper blades every 6-12 months, though they may last longer or get chewed up more quickly depending on how often you drive and how rough the weather is. You can easily tell if your blades need to be replaced just by listening for squeaks and being on the lookout for streaks or gaps in clearance on your windshield while the wipers are turned on.

In addition to changing out your old or damaged wiper blades, be sure to check your windshield washer fluid and clear out all clutter and any debris from your windows. Windshield washer fluid helps clear the front and rear windshields of loose leaves, dirt, and bugs. There are no hard and fast rules on when you should have your windshield washer fluid replenished, but it is a good idea to have your levels checked every 3-6 months.

Lights

Your vehicle’s lights are extremely important to optimizing overall visibility especially in inclement weather and low light driving. On average, your headlights will last anywhere between 500-3,000 hours, which translates to just about 15,000-90,000 miles. If one or more of your vehicle’s lights are out, or starting to fade out, change out all of the vehicle lights at the same to ensure even wear. Our team of experienced automotive service technicians will also clean your headlights, test your interior and exterior lights, and check your side mirrors to ensure your driving visibility is fully clear and ready for the winter roads ahead.

If visibility is a worry for you this fall, stop in at any of our 45 convenient local Dobbs Tire & Auto Centers. Let our expert teams of tire technicians and automotive service technicians take care of all your fall maintenance and winter preventive maintenance service needs — as well as installing extra technology like back-up cameras, and much more — in one convenient stop.