The first −15 °C morning of the year brings the same problems every time: cars that won't start, washer fluid that won't spray, wipers that smear salt across the glass, and tires that were already marginal in October. Most of it can be caught with an hour of attention in the fall.
Tires
Get winter tires on once the temperature stays below about 7 °C, which in Toronto is usually early to mid November. Check the tread before they go on. Winter tires lose a lot of their snow grip as they wear, and many tire makers suggest replacing them at around 4 mm (5/32"). Check pressures again once the real cold arrives, since they drop as the temperature does.
Battery
Cold works against a battery from both directions. A cold battery delivers less power, and a cold engine with thick oil takes more power to turn over. A battery that was getting by in September can quit on the first properly cold morning.
Have it load tested in the fall, especially if it's more than about three years old. The test takes a few minutes and shows how much capacity is left. Clean any white or green corrosion off the terminals and make sure the clamps are tight.
Washer fluid
Use up or drain the summer washer fluid and fill with fluid rated to −40 °C. Summer fluid can freeze in the reservoir and lines, and a washer that won't spray on a salty highway leaves you looking through a white film. Keep a spare jug in the trunk. You'll go through a lot of it.
Wipers
If your wipers streak, chatter or leave a haze, replace them before the snow. Winter blades, with a rubber boot over the frame, resist icing up better than standard ones. Before freezing rain or an overnight snowfall, lifting the wipers off the glass keeps them from freezing to it, if your car's wipers can be lifted when parked. Never run the wipers to break them free of ice. That tears the rubber and can burn out the wiper motor.
Coolant
Coolant keeps the engine from freezing and protects the cooling system from corrosion inside. A typical 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water protects to roughly −37 °C. Too much water in the mix and it can freeze, which can crack a radiator or, worse, the engine block. A quick test with a hydrometer or refractometer shows the freeze point.
Check the level in the overflow tank with the engine cold, and top up only with the type of coolant your manual specifies. Mixing types can cause problems.
Block heater, if you have one
A block heater warms the engine and the oil so the car starts more easily and the heater blows warm sooner. Check the cord for cracks or damage before the first cold snap. On the coldest mornings, roughly −15 °C and below, plugging in for about two hours before you leave is usually enough. Use an outdoor-rated timer; leaving it plugged in all night mostly wastes electricity.
Lights, heat and defrost
Short days mean most commutes happen in the dark. Walk around the car with the lights on and check every bulb, including the brake lights. Make sure the heater blows hot, the front defrost clears the windshield and the rear defroster works. A weak heater in October is often a sign of low coolant or a thermostat stuck open, and both get worse in the cold.
Emergency kit
Keep these in the trunk from November to April:
- Snow brush and ice scraper
- Small folding shovel
- Booster cables or a charged jump pack
- A bag of sand or non-clumping cat litter for traction
- Spare jug of −40 °C washer fluid
- Warm blanket, plus a hat, gloves and dry socks
- Flashlight with spare batteries
- Phone charging cable
- Water and some non-perishable snacks
- First-aid kit
- Warning triangles or road flares
Keep the gas tank at least half full. If you're stuck on the 401 for hours, that fuel is your heat. If you're sitting in a stuck car with the engine running, make sure the tailpipe is clear of snow.
Salt and rust
Road salt is what actually finishes off cars in Toronto. It works into seams, brake lines, fuel lines and subframes, and it does the most damage sitting wet on metal all winter.
- Wash the car regularly through the winter on days above freezing, and pick a wash with an underbody rinse.
- Wipe the door seals with a silicone protectant so the doors don't freeze shut.
- Consider a rust-proofing treatment in the fall. Most oil-based sprays need redoing every year.
- In spring, give the underside a thorough rinse once the salt trucks are done for the season.
One visit covers most of it
A multi-point inspection before winter checks most of this list in one visit. If something needs work, you get a quote before anything is done. If you decide to leave it for now, we keep a note and remind you later, before it turns into a no-start on a January morning.
