Car Frozen? Don't Panic

Winter car care advice this week comes from expert, Mike Fields Fields Car Centre in Woking, Surrey.

 

Door locks frozen?

Spraying WD40 in them regularly will help prevent this.  Spray the door latch too.  Or use a lock de-icer for key entry or specialist tool.
Now with keyless cars, spray de-icer around the edge of the door.  Don't force the handles, work on them slowly using the de-icer.  Hot water is not really a good idea as it will cool very quickly and refreeze all around.

 

Frozen windows?

You may want to open your windows, but be careful, the window runner mechanism and glass can all be frozen meaning that it won't move, or like the wipers, the motor works but the mechanism stays put.  Result = broken window regulator, glass becomes unattached or worse still the glass shatters.  If you don't need to open them leave well alone!

 

Wipers frozen to the screen? 

Ok, you're in the car and turn engine on, if you have left the wipers 'on'   the night before it's trouble.

Every year we get people into the garage whose wipers no longer wipe!   Usually what has happened is they have gone to start the car with the wipers left on from the journey the night before.  The rubber wiper blades have frozen to the screen and when the motor is turned on the wipers stay put!  The linkage will work loose and even when the wiper has defrosted it won't work anyway.
A simple solution...we can just re-tighten the mechanism, but it can be worse with bent linkage and wipers. So use the de-icer to free rubber from screen and gently pull away.

 

Hope these few tips help, but really the best advice is, the scouts' motto - 'Be prepared'!

With our thanks to Mike Field of Fields Car Centre in Woking, Surrey for the advice.
Fields Car Centre have been a Good Garage Scheme member since 2010 and have a five star customer rating.

Get Ready for Your MOT Test

An MOT test is required by law to check that a vehicle is roadworthy and safe for the environment. It is due once your car is three years old and then annually.

According to the Drivers and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) the top three items to fail an MOT are:

1. Headlight Aim

2. Tyre Tread Depth

3. Windscreen wipers

Headlight aim might have been off if you replaced a headlight since your last MOT and it is higher or lower than the other. Check your lights before your test. All lights will be tested so ask a friend or neighbour to help you check your lights are working and replace any if possible beforehand.

Tyre tread depth is easy to check with a 20p coin. If you can see the outer rim of the coin when you insert into the tyre grooves, they may need changing. Visit any Good Garage Scheme member garage to check if you are unsure.

Windscreen wipers do a tremendous amount of work and may need changing. This is something you can easily check and replace should they look worn. You can probably tell if they are not clearing the screen as smoothly as possible in bad weather but best to run your hand along to edge to check for cracks or wear.

Other items you can check before your test are seat belts, fluids in the car and bodywork.

Remember, an MOT is not a service. If you are looking to buy a car that has recently passed an MOT, ensure you also check when it was last serviced.

For more information about MOTs visit www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/the-mot-test