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Car reviews, industry news, & advice.

Doug Climenhaga

About Doug Climenhaga

Doug Climenhaga is president of SVI International, Inc., a leading supplier of parts for industrial lift equipment. With more than 20 years experience in the hydraulic and automotive lift industries, he holds two patents and has designed scores of problem-solving products.

5 Car Dangers That Come from Cold Weather

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There’s more to winter than bigger heat bills. In the automotive world, frigid temps may lead to unique problems that don’t show up at other times of the year. Look through these five dangers that come from cold weather and make sure your car is ready to deal with the rest of the winter.

1. Dead battery: It might be an all-too-familiar winter scene: A driver puts the key in the ignition, turns it, and the engine cranks sluggishly or not at all. Maybe the headlights and dashboard lights are dim, too — it could be a dead battery. Confirm that the battery is the problem is by checking the voltage. You can use a voltmeter or a dedicated battery tester, but each requires a different set of steps for checking the battery. If you’re not calling a service for help, consult your owner’s manual and be sure you know how to jumpstart the car. Stock your trunk with an emergency kit in case a dead car battery leaves you stranded in the cold: heavy coat, gloves, blanket, flashlight, snacks and water.

flat tire2. Cracked windshield wipers: After being frozen and unfrozen a few times in the winter, your car’s windshield wipers won’t perform as they once did. If you notice that they are skipping across the windshield or leaving streaks in your line of vision, check the wiper blades. If the rubber is warped or cracked, replace the blades. Also, make sure you have enough windshield washer fluid to last your journey. There’s not much more frustrating (not to mention dangerous, for you and other drivers) than running out of washer fluid on a slushy day in a high-traffic area.

3. Radiator problems: The radiator of a car keeps the engine at the proper temperature, whether it’s sweltering hot or bitterly cold outside. Antifreeze, or coolant, absorbs engine heat and dissipates it through the radiator. A half-and-half mixture of antifreeze and water is sufficient for your car to start and run in the cold. If the engine’s cooling system isn’t properly filled, or if the coolant is too diluted, your radiator could freeze, the car won’t start and you could end up with a cracked, leaking radiator. The next time you’re at the mechanic, they can check the level of your antifreeze and may recommend a flush of the system. Old antifreeze can be full of dirt and rust, which can lead to corrosion and leaks, and eventually overheating.

4. Salt-covered car body: While road salt keeps everyone safer in icy conditions, the resultant coating of salt is bad for the body of the car. The salt sits there for days or even weeks, and over the long run, that salt can cause rust. Wash your car when the temperature allows. The good news is that with improved corrosion-resistant coatings on newer cars, it will take salt a long time to eat its way to the metal — metal (not paint) rusts. If you go to a drive-through car wash, pick one that washes the undercarriage of the vehicle, where there are more hidden spots that can rust due to salt corrosion.

5. Tires deflating: Heat causes tire pressure to rise, and cold weather causes it to drop. Do not be surprised if your low-pressure indicator light turns on after a cold snap. If your car is older than model year 2008 and it doesn’t have a tire pressure monitoring system, check the pressure with a tire gauge before driving after the first cold day of the season. The proper PSI (pounds per square inch) for your tires will be on a sticker inside the driver-side door or in the owner’s manual. Do not go by the pressure listed on the tire itself — this is the maximum allowable pressure and is likely not the same as the manufacturer-recommended PSI. Optimum tire pressure allows your car to be fuel efficient, and, most importantly in the winter, to have the best traction and stopping time.

Cold Weather Care

Watch for signs of these potential dangers before you head out for a winter drive, especially before a longer journey. Just because winter is underway doesn’t mean it’s too late to check and address any of these hazards. What other winter car problems do you frequently run into?

See Also — 5 Tips for Driving at Night

5 Tips for Driving at Night

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It is no secret that driving at night is more difficult for several reasons, and with Daylight Savings Time ending the first weekend in Nov., we will all be behind the wheel in the dark more often. While there has been much advancement in the realm of headlights and glare technologies, good driving at night comes down to one thing: human behavior. No amount of hardware and technology can replace an attentive, well-prepared driver, and this article will give you five useful tips for driving at night.

night driving
Driving at night requires it own types of precautions.

According to Russ Rader of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, getting behind the wheel is the riskiest thing most people do every day. A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that 95 percent of crashes are caused by human error and these numbers are significantly higher after the sun has gone down. The facts are the facts: driving can be dangerous but you can avoid being a statistic if you follow the rules of the road and your vehicle is properly equipped.

Here are 5 Tips for Driving at Night:

1. Wear Your Glasses or Contacts

Although you should be wearing your corrective lenses at all times, driving at night requires your absolute best vision and reaction time. In order to receive a driver’s license, you must pass a vision test, and if you fail this test you have a legal requirement to wear corrective lenses. There is also a “Daylight Driving Only” restriction for those with exceptionally poor eyesight.

In addition to adjusting to the glare of night traffic, your ability to react to pedestrians or wildlife is compromised if you do not wear your lenses. Do yourself and the other drivers on the road a favor.

2. Clean Your Windshield and Mirrors, Adjust if Necessary

Dirty windshields and mirrors reflect and diffuse light that can produce an eye-squinting yet completely avoidable distraction. You can find a proper cleaning spray or wipe at any auto store or even use the window or glass cleaner from your home. If you clean your windshield and mirrors at least once a week your vision will never be impaired.

The option of tilting your exterior mirrors depends on your height and the vehicle you drive. You should always test new angles to see if they reduce glare and remember to turn on the night or automatic dimming feature of your rearview mirror to darken the mirror at night. These are all simple steps to make toward a safer night on the road.

See Also — How to Fight Back Against Drunk Drivers

3. Aim Your Headlights

Although some of the newer luxury vehicles offer self-adjusting, adaptive headlight systems, not everyone can afford them. If you are one of the many with standard motionless headlights, it is imperative to make sure they are angled properly. If not for your own benefit, to make sure you are not blinding oncoming traffic.

You can find the instructions in your owner’s manual or have your mechanic perform this simple yet important task. Some drivers don’t even know their headlights are misaligned and have been driving with them since they have owned the vehicle. It is definitely worth checking and may provide you with a brand new nighttime driving experience.

4. Turn on the Fog Lights

The main purpose of fog lights is to light up the road during foggy conditions. Your headlights catch the water vapor of the fog and can make the view of the road in front of you quite difficult to manage. In effect, the lower fog lights illuminate the road instead of the fog.

But fog lights are not limited to the conditions they were built for; you can use fog lights every night for enhanced driving. Turning on these two additional lights is never a bad thing and will only improve your vision. When you think about it, how many times a year do you actually use your fog lights in fog? Get some use out of them.

5. Be Mindful of Other Drivers

Federal traffic studies have shown that there is a higher percentage of drunk drivers at night, as well as tired drivers, so keep your eye out for erratic behavior. If you find yourself heading toward someone with their high beams on, look down at the right edge of the road and use it as a steering guide. You should also be mindful of your own high beams with oncoming traffic to avoid causing them the same issue.

And if for any reason you have to pull off the road, pull off as far as you possibly can. Many drivers have been seriously injured or killed when changing a tire or dealing with engine trouble at night. For all of the reasons listed above, put as much distance as possible between you and the roadway if you ever have to pull over at night.

Photo copyright “Night Drive” by Christopher Cook.

Infotainment: Will Dashboard Internet Access Be Too Distracting?

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Tesla Model S
Cabin interiors, such as found in this Tesla,
come with infotainment systems.

Access to the Internet is more widely available than ever before and the inside of your vehicle is no exception. As cars become capable of displaying more than just simple navigation instructions, will navigation become infotainment? And, will dashboard Internet access be deemed too distracting?

What is Dashboard Internet?

Dashboard Internet is a relatively new car feature. Essentially, it centralizes several features already available in some vehicles, with screens above the gear shift equipped with a fully functional touch-screen PC. Dashboard Internet is a centralized hub for navigation, music, car information, phone calls and more.

These systems allow drivers to get GPS navigation wherever they are; they also provide access to 3D maps and street views. Systems may also allow drivers to call friends, adjust the cars temperature, play music and check fuel levels while driving, using voice commands. While the car is parked, the technology can be used to get location or event information, such as temperature, venue information, business or restaurant reviews and traffic conditions. In addition, drivers can stream videos in their car.

Currently, dashboard Internet is mainly available in luxury vehicles, but over time, it may become standard in most new cars. This means that many consumers will be learning to navigate new, potentially distracting car features.

Infotainment Benefits & Risks

Some people are worried about the potential distraction posed by dashboard iInternet. This new technology creates many of the same risks as existing car features, such as front-seat televisions and GPS navigation systems. The ability to watch videos and get directions while driving is not a new phenomenon, but it takes that to the next level by providing drivers with access to the entire web.

People concerned about safety raise several concerns about this new trend:

  • Distracted driving is proven to be a factor in many accidents, especially when drivers look away from the road.
  • Drivers may be too busy pressing buttons and watching the screen to pay attention to road conditions.
  • Systems may be too elaborate to easily navigate while driving.

On the other hand, manufacturers and consumers counter that dashboard Internet is safe when used correctly because it:

  • Prevents drivers from having to fumble with maps.
  • Can be manned by the front seat passenger instead of the driver.
  • Should be set before the driver hits the road.
  • Is similar to other devices which have been on the market for a while and are still approved for the road.
  • Can give voice commands and play videos with sound, meaning drivers don’t need to rely on looking at the screen.
  • Is often manufactured to restrict access to complex features while the vehicle is in motion.

Personal Judgment

Right now, the verdict is still out on infotainment for the car dashboard. It needs to become more widespread before we’ll have a clear answer. Studies on the subject are being conducted. What is clear, though, is that drivers with dashboard Internet, like all drivers, should exercise good judgment and personal responsibility when using their devices.

Photo courtesy of Tesla Motors.