What are some tips for car maintenance in autumn and winter?

How should cars be maintained in autumn and winter? For cars, in autumn and winter, the weather is relatively dry, and some places are relatively humid. So let’s take a look at the common sense of car maintenance in autumn and winter and teach you how to maintain your car.

Question 1 There is something wrong with the air conditioner

After a long summer, some car owners may find that their air conditioners have a peculiar smell, or the cooling effect is poor, or there are some abnormal noises. . What is the reason for this and how to solve it?

Cause and solution: In summer, air conditioners are operating at high load, and there is a lot of rain in summer. Cars often drive on some wading roads, causing the air conditioner condenser to The lower part is contaminated with a lot of sediment. Over time, the condenser will rust, thereby shortening the service life of the air conditioner. Therefore, after entering autumn, the air conditioner should be thoroughly maintained.

In addition, pay attention to the maintenance of heating pipes and fans. In autumn, especially in early winter, the weather turns cooler and hoarfrost sometimes appears when the temperature is low. In this season, special attention should be paid to whether the defrost air outlet under the windshield is blowing normally and whether the heat is sufficient. If a problem occurs, Solve it in time, otherwise it will bring unsafe factors to driving.

Car air conditioner

Question 2: Car fuel consumption increases inexplicably

There are many reasons for the increase in car fuel consumption. But our most common reason is to check the tire pressure. Insufficient tire pressure will not only increase driving resistance and increase fuel consumption, but also affect the service life of the tires.

Causes and solutions: When driving, pay more attention to whether each tire is inflated, and check the tire pressure regularly. Of course, don’t forget to check the spare tire, so as to avoid discovering that the spare tire is out of air when you need to replace the tire urgently. When the temperature is high, tire pressure will be higher than usual, so it is more accurate to measure tire pressure on cold days or in a cool place. The tires should often be swapped every 10,000 kilometers to avoid too much difference in wear between the front and rear. If you need to replace severely worn tires, it is best to replace two or four tires together. Tires with the same pattern can be replaced front to back. In addition, tires with zigzag patterns help save fuel.

In addition, if you find abnormal noise in the wheels while driving or starting, you should promptly check whether the bearings and braking system are faulty. If the wheels rotate abnormally, it will affect the vehicle speed and increase fuel consumption. If the spark plug is used for too long, fuel consumption will also increase. Because a damaged spark plug will reduce the ignition energy and slow down the vehicle speed, resulting in a significant increase in gasoline consumption, it is necessary to replace the spark plug.

Problem 3: Failure to ignite when starting

Nowadays, the starting of the car's engine is basically completed by the current of the battery to push the spark plug to ignite, causing the engine to suddenly fail to ignite. There are two reasons below. First, it may be that the battery is rusty or the battery is leaking, causing the engine to fail to ignite. Another problem is caused by the engine spark plug getting wet on rainy days.

Causes and solutions: Car batteries should be checked frequently, preferably every half month in autumn and winter. The main thing is to check whether the voltage is sufficient and to ensure that the battery is secure. The battery should be placed firmly on the vehicle to prevent the battery circuit connections from falling off due to vibration while the vehicle is driving, causing power supply interruption.

The level of battery fluid should also be checked frequently. During the charging and discharging process of the battery, the water in the electrolyte will gradually decrease due to electrolysis and evaporation, causing the electrolyte level to drop. If not replenished in time, the service life of the battery will be shortened. If the electrolyte level of the vehicle battery is lower than the upper and lower water lines, distilled water should be replenished in time. During the inspection, the battery must be charged in time. Whether it is a water-filled or maintenance-free battery, there is a battery capacity indicator light on its surface. Usually when the battery has sufficient power, the green indicator light will light up. When the battery power is insufficient, the red light will light up, indicating that it must be charged. . After the battery is discharged or before it is stopped from use, it should be charged in time to avoid hardening of the plates and shortening the service life of the battery.

Finally, check the battery terminals and use an iron brush to remove any dirt on the terminals. If the wiring clamp is severely stained, you can rub sandpaper along the inner wall to remove the dirt. If the spark plug is damp, take it out and bake it with a lighter to evaporate the moisture on it as quickly as possible.

Tips for car maintenance in autumn and winter

Question 4: Antifreeze needs to be added

Some car owners change the antifreeze once and then ignore it again. , and you only realize there is a problem with the antifreeze when the car's water temperature is often too high or the car boils. In fact, when autumn comes, you should pay attention to replacing the antifreeze, especially for people who are going to very cold or even icy areas in the north. Replace antifreeze in advance.

Reasons and solutions: Many car owners only have a literal understanding of antifreeze: it prevents the water tank from freezing. Therefore, they believe that there is no need to use antifreeze in southern areas with warm climates. In fact, the functions of antifreeze are not limited to this. According to industry insiders, antifreeze can prevent the car's cooling system from freezing or overheating, which means it can make the cooling system work better.

In addition, antifreeze is much less corrosive to metal parts than tap water, so using antifreeze can effectively prevent rust and corrosion in the car's cooling system. Therefore, antifreeze is also needed in the south. According to reports, antifreeze is generally replaced every two years, and it is best to thoroughly clean the water tank before replacement.

Problem 5: Exhaust noise increases and exhaust gas emissions increase and exceed standards

Some cars will have these problems inexplicably, especially some cars that are only discovered when they pass the inspection line. question. Many car owners are puzzled by this situation. In fact, this situation is probably due to the oxidation of the engine exhaust gas at high temperatures, causing leakage in the exhaust system.

Causes and solutions: Regularly check whether the pipes and interfaces of the exhaust system are corroded by exhaust gas, and whether the interface pads are washed out. If you find a leak in the exhaust system, you should go to the 4S shop in time to repair or replace the leaking parts. An annual inspection can not only ensure the normal operation of the exhaust system, but more importantly, reduce the environmental pollution caused by harmful substances in the exhaust. < /p>

Causes and solutions: Experts say that it is better to replace it, and it will not be a big problem if it is not replaced. Generally speaking, in places with large temperature differences between the four seasons, maintenance technicians will recommend car owners to use higher viscosity engine oil in summer and replace it with lower viscosity engine oil in autumn. However, in a city like Guangzhou where the temperature difference between the four seasons is not particularly large, it would be better for the car if the engine oil with lower viscosity can be replaced after autumn, but it will not have much impact if it is not replaced. The main basis for changing engine oil is the mileage traveled by the car.

Tips for car maintenance in autumn and winter

Question 7 Do tires need special maintenance?

Some car owners feel that they often walk on wading roads in the summer and often put their tires on the road. If the car is exposed to the sun, do you need to perform special maintenance on the tires?

Reasons and solutions: Experts say that it is not necessary. It should be said that autumn and winter are very suitable seasons for car tire work. Autumn and winter are not as rainy as spring and summer, so tires need to have good drainage properties. Unlike summer, where temperatures are high, tires need to be prevented from blowing out. Therefore, in addition to paying attention to four-wheel alignment, tire dynamic balancing, cleaning small stones on the tread on time, and replacing worn tires in a timely manner, car owners do not need to spend too much energy on tire maintenance.

Question 8: Don’t ignore the glass guide channel

Heavy rains in summer have caused many car owners to suffer. Continuous rain causes a large amount of rainwater to flow into the guide trough along with a lot of dust and acid-base substances along the glass. In autumn, the glass lifter will be weak and the glass will rise and fall slowly.

Reasons and solutions: The reason for this phenomenon is that a large amount of dust accumulates in the rubber strips of the glass guide trough, and the glass guide trough should be cleaned. The car owner can use a spray bottle to spray some clean water into the guide trough, but the effect will not be very satisfactory because the clean water will not clean thoroughly and will not have a lubricating effect. Therefore, it is recommended to use professional cleaners, such as some big brands of glass guides. Use the groove reducing agent, etc., clean the guide groove, and then lift the glass up and down several times. The speed and smoothness of the lifting will be very good.