A car is a rather expensive commodity, so we strive to do everything so that it lasts longer without any special financial costs. Driving instructors believe that there are several golden rules for operating a car that will ensure it long term services.
Regular maintenance
The most important thing to do with a car is to drive it Maintenance.
When stopping, do not forget to turn on position P. If the selector is in any other position, then the car can move on its own, especially if you accidentally press the gas pedal.
By the way, car owners with automatic transmission gears, you should know that it is forbidden to do the following on such a car:
- driving "cold"
- starting the engine "from the pusher",
- prolonged towing (in particular at speeds over 50 km/h),
- slip,
- driving in neutral
- switching operating modes while driving.
Video on how to increase the life of tires:
Happy driving without traffic jams!
The article used an image from mgauto.com.ua
Don't skimp on car wash
With the advent of winter, many motorists try to save money on washing their car, guided by the rule: why wash if it will soon get dirty again. However, experts advise washing the car even more often in winter than in summer, so that salt and road chemicals do not linger on it. Plaque with these substances is a powerful corrosion catalyst.
In no case do not wash the car in winter from a bucket of warm and hot water. Such washing will lead to microcracks on the paintwork, and this is the first sign of corrosion. Water will begin to seep through the cracks to the metal and over time will cause rust to form. It is better to use the services of specialized contactless car washes. Automated - less effectively remove dirt and leave scratches, depriving the car of its former mirror shine.
Check coolant
Before the onset of severe cold, do not forget to check the engine cooling system of your car. Antifreeze needs to be changed every two to three years, and sometimes earlier. For example, if the liquid has changed its original color. Timely replacement antifreeze will extend the life of the car engine and reduce the risk of freezing it in the cold.
You should also check if the coolant level is correct (there are special marks on the cooling system tank, the antifreeze level should be between the Min and Max divisions). If fluid is below level, top up.
Don't forget the battery
In the cold season, energy consumption increases (due to the electric heating of seats, windows, mirrors), and performance characteristics batteries deteriorate. On short trips, the alternator does not have time to fully restore the battery charge for the next start. That's why checking your battery should be as much a part of your fall maintenance as changing your shoes. If the performance of the battery has deteriorated, it is better to change it. And don't forget to check contact group ignition systems. So that oxidized contacts do not play a cruel joke in winter, coat them with grease, other fatty materials, or silicone grease.
washer fluid
Clean windows are essential for safe driving, so check the washer fluid level in the washer fluid reservoir regularly in winter. When choosing an anti-freeze, pay attention to its composition and freezing point. It should not contain poisonous methanol, which is used in counterfeits. And it is better if the temperature of the frost resistance of the liquid is 5 degrees lower than that predicted during the period of its use.
Corrosion protection
After washing, check the condition of the body for scratches from stone impacts. This will prevent corrosion. Chips should be treated with a coloring pencil, and deep scratches should be painted over.
Check your headlights regularly
Car headlights should always be in good working order, and winter is no exception. Check your headlights, brake lights and turn lights regularly. Keep lighting equipment, and at the same time mirrors clean. This will make your trip safe, provide you good visibility in inclement weather.
Emergency accessories
Changing a wheel in winter will be more comfortable if you have warm gloves in the trunk. Also check if the spare wheel is working properly, if the sign is in place emergency stop, cable and "cigarette lighter". The latter will help start the car in case of battery discharge from the battery of another car.
Door locks
Surely many of you are familiar with such a situation when the door is blocked in winter. Moisture and frost are to blame. Therefore, make sure that after washing rubber seals doors were wiped dry, and the locks, if the doors are opened with a key, dried and oiled. WD-40 spray is best for lubricating locks.
How to deal with fogging windows
In cold weather, you can often observe that the windows in the car are very misted. This indicates increased humidity in the cabin. The main causes of condensation are wet floor mats, damaged or poorly fitting door seals, clogged drain hole climate control systems. However, more often than not, the cause is cabin filter, which could absorb too much moisture and not have time to dry, or it's just time to replace it. When the windows fog up, turn on the windshield blower, while making sure that the air recirculation inside the passenger compartment is turned off.
By the way, have you already bought a brush and a scraper to remove ice from the windows? Then we advise you to arm yourself with them until the big winter comes.
There is an opinion that the most important problems are the cold. Not true. The main problems are caused by variable temperature fluctuations. Now plus, now minus, and as a result, the water that has fallen into the cracks, freezing, breaks them. Cracks grow, deepen, multiply. Water flows into locks, into the slots of seals, into glass frames, turning into ice, paralyzing their work. This is the main treachery of winter.
But let's see in order what happens to the main elements of the car.
Body paintwork
The paint is flawless only when it leaves the paint shop. In life, the surface of a car is a collection small scratches. The body shines when these microcracks are filled with polish. Winter is the perfect time of the year to expose the body additional tests. Cycles of thaw-freeze, water-ice inevitably lead to damage paintwork. When the crack touches the metal, a chemical oxidation reaction will begin and a corrosion center will occur. The body will begin to rust. A sharp temperature drop causes a car wash in the cold with hot water. You can save the surface by applying polish and protective wax. Preparations are in abundance, but the need to brush off the snow is present almost daily.
Body sills are constantly in the zone of sand flying from under the wheels. Mudguards bring some salvation, but they themselves risk being torn off in the snow. Often, automakers cover the thresholds with plastic overlays, and at service stations they apply an additional anti-gravel coating on them.
glass
They suffer, first of all, from the sand falling on them, which is sprinkled on roads in winter. The result is abrasions on the glass, loss of transparency, clouding. Of course, windshields are most susceptible to sand aggression. They take hits even harder, for example, from spikes or pebbles flying out from under the tires, which are found in poorly sifted sand that falls on the roadway due to the negligence of road builders. Wipers rub sand grains on the windshield, so you should try to avoid running them dry. Don't forget windshield washer fluid. By the way, in terms of frost resistance, it must also correspond to the ambient temperature.
Scratches and hard plastic scrapers are left on the glasses. Sometimes it is better to wait for the ice to thaw than to add new scratches. Side windows also tend to freeze in the openings. Yes, sometimes so that the electric drive cannot move them. The fuses are on. The plastic lowering handles may crack if subjected to excessive force. I remember cases when the glass holder broke out, in which it is fixed on the lifting mechanism.
Perhaps it is the additional worries that the owners of diesel cars burden themselves with in winter that do not make diesel engines popular in private transport in Russia.
On the eve of the cold season, experienced motorists fill in the recommended engine oil with a slightly lower viscosity. IN gasoline engines someone for reinsurance puts fresh spark plugs. On especially frosty days, so that the motor does not blow through, you can cover the false radiator grille with a thick cloth. In extreme cases, just a piece of cardboard installed in front of the radiator of the cooling system will do. It is important to fix it correctly to prevent damage to the fan impeller.
In winter, everything must be done slowly, as if walking along an icy path. Never rush from place to place cold car. Let the engine and transmission warm up a little at a slow speed, mobility will appear in the details. However, the main concern in winter is to save the body, the main and most expensive part of your car.
With the onset of winter time, every driver begins to face difficult road conditions that can change rapidly in a short time. sharp drops temperature, precipitation freezing rain, snow, and strong wind can change the road beyond recognition.
Remember that even a well-known highway can change in a short time and can give you unpleasant surprises. So every vehicle owner should be doubly careful and careful on the road compared to operation in summer, spring or autumn.
In addition, every driver should be more attentive to the operation of his car in winter. Our online publication has prepared for you a great guide to winter operation car, which will help you to increase and also increase the service life of the car.
Driving in winter conditions requires high degree attention, and oblige the driver to perform certain actions while driving and comply with a number of conditions when operating the machine.
Adverse weather conditions in winter are dangerous for all cars. First of all, this is due to the slippery road. But also in winter, bad weather conditions can limit the visibility of the road, which can lead to an accident. Therefore, every driver must be as attentive as possible and be prepared for any emergency situations.
Our guide will tell you in detail about the features winter driving and also includes helpful tips necessary for the safe movement of the car in the winter.
What should you do before traveling in winter?
1. Remove ice from door handles and from where the doors meet the car body
If your car has been left outside all night in winter before you hit the road, you have to do a few simple things:
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Go to the car and inspect the doors for ice formation |
If the car doors are iced up, in no case do not pull immediately for the doorknobs. This may damage the handle, door seals and even car locks. |
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If you have a function remote start engine, then start it and waitwhen the car engine warm enough, to heat the interior and doors of the car a little. |
If you do not have a remote launchengine,then your task is neat cleardriver's door from ice. To do this, use special plastic scraper with rubber seals, that won't let you scratch body paintwork. |
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In no case do not pour on locks and doors hot water. Remember that boiling water can seriously damage paint car cover |
2. Before getting into the car, remove all snow from it
Before you hit the road, you must remove all snow from the car body. In this way, you can reduce fuel consumption (remember that heavy snow and ice makes the car heavier, which naturally leads to increased fuel consumption).
In addition, by removing snow and ice from the body, you will prevent snow and ice from entering other vehicles while driving on the road. Otherwise, you not only risk damaging other vehicles on the road, but you may also reduce the visibility of drivers behind you.
The fact is that if you do not clear the car of snow (especially the roof) when driving on the road, snow can fly off the car body and fall on Windshield a car that is moving behind you, which can completely block the visibility of the road to another driver. In this case, there is a danger that the car behind you will not have time to slow down if you brake hard. Here's another short list of things you should definitely do before heading out by car in the winter:
Also, when cleaning the car from snow, do not forget to clean wheel disks, which may also be in the snow.
Remove snow from the body with a special, not very stiff brush. Remove ice with a special car scraper.
Never take to the roads common use if the windows of the car are covered with snow or ice. Remember that before you move off, all car windows must be cleared of snow and ice.
Do not forget to start the engine, turn on the heated side mirrors. If you do not have this option, then before you go on the road, you must completely clean side mirrors from snow and ice. In case of severe freezing of the rear-view windows, you can use special chemicals(available for sale in any car dealership), which will help you clean the windows in a short time.
Remember that driving with dirty windows and side mirrors is very dangerous. This may lead to an accident.
Also, before you hit the road, make sure that all car optics are not contaminated with snow, winter mud and ice. Please note that you must not only clean the front and rear lights, but also necessarily all the turn signals and even the license plate lights. Thus, your car in bad winter conditions will always be visible on the road to other road users.
As soon as you start the engine, also do not forget to turn on the maximum blowing of the windshield, which will not only help to thaw the windshield faster, but also quickly help to warm up frozen wiper blades.
Please note that while the windshield is not thawed, in no case do not pull the wipers, as this will damage the wiper blades. The fact is that the rubber bands on the brushes, in case of freezing, can easily be damaged and even cracked. In this case, you will have to replace the wipers, as damage to them will lead to insufficient windshield cleaning.
Remember what's dirty windshield in winter significantly reduces your safety on the road. Also, for quick defrosting of the wiper blades, you can purchase a special spray in the car shop that will help defrost the wipers faster than the windshield warms up from the car's stove.
To prevent the windshield wiper blades from freezing, you can raise the wiper blades up in the evening when you park the car at night so that they do not touch the windshield.
Including you can put cardboard under the brushes. You can also use a special film to protect the windshield and wipers from snow and ice. To do this, purchase a special coating for the windshield in a car shop and, when parking the car in the evening, spread it on the glass, pressing the wiper blades with it. As a result, in the morning you will not need to warm the windshield, since all the snow and ice will remain on the film.
If there is a lot of snow stuck to the wheel arches of the car, you should remove it as this can lead to steering problems. The fact is that the snow adhering to the arches eventually turns into icy snow and can impede the movement of the car, as the wheels will touch the adhering snow.
Do not allow snow to build up on the arches from the front of the machine, as this icy snow can prevent the wheels from turning when driving the machine (subject to change maximum angle turn). Therefore, when parking your car at night in winter, be sure to knock off the adhering snow from all the arches. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to do it the next day.
3. Avoid moisture inside the machine during winter
Remember that the more humidity in the car interior, the more likely the car windows are to fog up, not only during the engine warm-up, but also during the day during the operation of the car. In addition, excess moisture inside the car can settle on the inside of the doors at night, which will eventually lead to the formation of ice on internal elements doors that may not open in the morning.
To prevent excess moisture from building up inside the car, always shake off snow from your feet before putting your feet in the passenger compartment. To do this, get into the car so that at first the legs remain outside. Then shake off the snow from your feet and sit all the way into the car.
Also, to reduce moisture in the car, use the "dry air" function of the air conditioning system, which will remove moisture from the passenger compartment. If your car is equipped with a conventional air conditioner or there is no dehumidification option, aim at the car windows as much as possible to prevent fogging of the car. hot air. In this case, you will heat the glass and partially remove their strong fogging.
4. Proper transport of skis
If you are going to ski on skis that you are going to take with you in the car, you should never transport the skis loose, because, in case of hard braking or an accident, skis and poles can seriously injure you and your passengers.
Your task is to fix the skis so that they, in case of an accident, remained in place and did not hurt anyone in the car:
For transporting skis, use a special case.
If your machine is equipped with the option "To carry long objects" (including skis), then use it strictly in accordance with the owner's manual.
If your car has a roof rack or special bay windows, then tie your skis to the roof. Please note that the skis on the roof must be very securely fastened. It is advisable to use several sets of seat belts, as some belts may become loose or even break in the event of an accident or heavy braking.
If your car does not have the option to carry skis and there is no roof rack, then you can still transport skis inside the cabin, but only with ski bags securely fixed tight belts, which you must wrap around the seats or if no one is sitting in the back seat, using the car's seat belts.
What should be in the trunk of a car in winter?
Every motorist at any time of the year must carry with him a lot of necessary things in case of unforeseen situations and danger. But in winter, every driver must slightly change the set of things that must be in the trunk. Here is the list:
towing cable
High-voltage wires for "lighting"
Ice scraper (it is advisable to take home at night)
A little sand (can be poured into plastic bottle or package)
Warm and cotton gloves
Anti-freeze windshield washer fluid
Anti-skid chains
Snow brush (it is advisable to take home at night)
Starting compact device for starting the car in case the battery is dead
Mobile phone charger
Emergency phone numbers (put the list in the glove box)
Scoop or small snow shovel
Rubber mats (if you do not use them inside the cabin, put the mats in the trunk). They may be of use to you. For example, if your car is stuck in snow or ice, you can put them under the wheels, increasing the car's grip on the road surface.
Spare mobile phone with USB or cigarette lighter charging
How to regulate the temperature in the car interior in winter?
In winter, every car owner must change the principle of using windscreen blowers. Here is a list of what you should definitely do in the winter:
After starting a cold engine, you must provide maximum airflow to the windshield, as well as side windows. To do this, set the airflow to maximum mode. Thus, you will avoid fogging of glasses.
Please note that the side air deflectors must point towards the side windows.
If your car is equipped with air conditioning or air conditioner, then immediately after starting the machine, set the automatic mode for adjusting the airflow and maintaining the temperature. If the windshield and side windows heavily iced, it is recommended to turn on the maximum blowing mode first. As soon as the windows are thawed, turn on the automatic mode.
Do not be afraid to turn on the air conditioning mode in winter. This is not dangerous. In winter, the air conditioner will not cool the air entering the passenger compartment. But by turning on the air conditioner, the air will be dried. Why is this necessary if the air outside in winter is usually dry?
The fact is that, despite the dry air in winter, moisture nevertheless gets inside the cabin, which is fraught with fogging of the windows. Moisture usually comes from snow that melts on our shoes.
Auto mode air conditioning in the passenger compartment of the car allows the system to optimally distribute air flows and maintain the temperature in the car that you have chosen.
Try not to use the air recirculation mode inside the cabin in winter.
Try not to warm up the car at idle for a long time. It is advisable to warm up the car for a short time by cleaning the windows of the car and hit the road at low speeds power unit. remember, that modern cars do not need a long warm-up of the engine.
First, at idle you do more damage. environment. Secondly, at long work engine at idle shortening the life of the automatic transmission , as well as some components of the power unit.
Also remember that prolonged warming up of the car at idle leads to significant fuel consumption.
Driving on snow and ice
Now let's move on to the most important. How to drive a car in winter. On the pages of our publication, we have already told you more than once how to behave while driving when driving on slippery road. In this guide, we decided to combine all the highlights of winter driving:
On a slippery road, if you are driving with mechanical box gear to avoid wheel spin, turn on the overdrive. Also, if you can not move away, skidding in place, you can turn on second gear instead of first.
If you slip, then carefully press the gas pedal. In order to make it more convenient for you to adjust the degree of pressing the gas pedal, open the window a little so that you can hear the wheel slip. So you can quickly understand how hard to press the gas pedal.
If your car is equipped with an automatic transmission, and you cannot move away due to wheel slip and the activation of various electronic systems, then you need to turn them off for a while to get off the bad road.
Remember that an automatic transmission does not like wheel spin. If the road surface is very slippery or covered in snow, then do not keep the engine speed at medium values.
If you are unable to move forward, then shift the automatic transmission into reverse gear. It is possible that the car will leave the slippery road for reverse gear. True, by turning on the box on reverse speed, try not to make sudden jerks of the car by sharply pressing the gas pedal.
Also, in winter, in cars with an automatic transmission, do not sharply press the pedal to the floor. or use "kickdown", because when sharp rise engine speed, the wheels of the machine may begin to spin heavily, which can cause the machine to lose traction. Also in this case, you risk damaging the automatic transmission.
While driving on a slippery road do not make sudden movements with the steering wheel.
If you feel that the car began to lose traction, then release the gas pedal smoothly and return the car to the desired trajectory of movement using the steering wheel. Please note that when skidding the car, in no case do not press the brake pedal. Remember that a car cannot turn and brake at the same time.
If your machine is equipped ABS system, then you do not need to do anything especially for braking in winter. The only thing you must follow speed mode and keep the correct distance from other vehicles. Try not to bring to sudden braking, as this can lead to loss of traction of the car with the road surface. Yes, this can happen even with the ABS system. Remember that nobody canceled the laws of physics.
If your vehicle is not equipped with ABS, then when braking, you must press the brake pedal in jerks (by pressing and releasing the brake). So you cut braking distances machine and avoid blocking the wheels during braking.
Most drivers (even beginners) know that in winter, any car has an increased braking distance. So even on winter tires you must be extremely careful. To do this, your average movement speed must be at least two times lower than in summer.
Please note that salt or de-icing road chemicals can significantly increase the stopping distance of the car.
Especially on those sections of the road that have recently been processed by municipal or road services.
The fact is that salt or reagent gets between the brake discs and pads, resulting in efficiency brake system decreases.
Therefore, to avoid the formation of a layer of reagents on the brake discs, depress the brake pedal from time to time to clean brake discs from road salt. It is advisable to do this before starting the car or before parking.
Driving uphill or downhill in winter
In winter, you must also be very careful when driving uphill or downhill. For example, if your car is front-wheel drive, then when driving uphill, than more load on the front axle, the more grip on slippery roads.
If your car is equipped with a rear-wheel drive system, then the heavier rear end car, the more grip the car has when going uphill.
Keep this in mind when going uphill. If the road is slippery, then with insufficient axle load, the machine may begin to slip. So choose carefully optimum speed while climbing uphill in winter.
To do this, try not to "re-gas" so that the wheels do not start to slip. Also try not to stop on the rise. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to start on a slippery slope.
When going downhill in winter, be extremely careful as well. Remember that the stopping distance of the car during the descent can increase significantly. Also, you must keep a slow pace of movement. Control the speed and do not let the car accelerate.
If you skid on a downhill, try to return the car to the correct trajectory of movement using the steering wheel by releasing the gas. If you can’t do anything, then, despite the fact that you can’t press the brake pedal, press it. So although you will damage the car due to skidding, you can significantly reduce the speed of movement, reducing possible damage.
How to become a better driver in winter
Every driver needs to improve their winter driving experience. Unfortunately, in the conditions of the city it is extremely difficult to do this. The fact is that in most large settlements, roads are processed by road services. Therefore, you will not feel skidding, etc.
In order to understand how to behave on a slippery road (especially during skids), you need to go to a special area with ice and try to learn how to control the skid using the gas pedal and steering.
Unfortunately, under normal road conditions, learn extreme driving not possible and also very dangerous. Therefore, training (or self-training) should take place only in special open areas or training grounds where there is no risk of damaging your car.
Please note that winter driving courses are suitable not only for experienced drivers as well as newbies. Statistically, novice drivers are even more amenable to extreme driving training, as they have not yet developed the various bad habits that lead to dangerous driving.
The right winter tires are a guarantee of safety
In winter, tires are subject to increased high demands. The fact is that summer tires are not intended for use on a car in winter, because rubber compound summer tires lose their properties at low temperatures, which affects the ability of the tire to keep traction. Besides, Winter tires have a different tread that is designed for snow, ice and water.
As a result, operating the machine in winter period with summer tires, you put yourself and other road users at risk.
Keep in mind that summer tires on snowy or icy roads will not be able to provide the optimal driving force needed for braking efforts, as well as reliable lateral force for maximum traction.
When driving on summer tires in winter, the most dangerous thing is cornering, passing overpasses, bridges, as well as driving on snowy slopes. Also remember that the stopping distance of summer tires in winter is several times longer than that of a car with winter tires. So, as soon as the average daily air temperature starts to be less than 7 degrees Celsius, be sure to change summer tires to winter ones. And in no case do not wait for heavy snowfall.
What winter tires are available?
Traditionally, winter tires are designated in Latin letters. "M+S" or "M.S". Plus, many manufacturers mark winter tires with a snowflake icon (*). Also some tires foreign manufacturers may be codenamed "R+W" (Road + Winter: All season tires). True, we draw your attention to the fact that all-season tires are less reliable for use in winter, compared to special winter tires, which have the designation "M+S" or "M.S".
So, when choosing winter tires, be sure to make sure before buying that you are purchasing tires for winter, and not all-weather tires designed for use all year round.
Pay attention to the tread of winter tires, which should be significantly different from summer tires.
Also remember that if the tread depth of winter tires is less than 4 mm, then you need to urgently change the tires to new ones. But that's in theory. It's better to change tires much earlier, of course, since even with a tread depth of 5 mm, winter tires are no longer effective on snowy roads .
Please note that, despite the promise of tire manufacturers for maximum grip in winter, no one has canceled the laws of physics. So don't think that winter tires can do wonders on the road. In any case, depending on road conditions, the stopping distance of a car on winter tires will always be significantly longer than in summer.
Therefore, with the onset of the winter period, you must not only reduce average speed traffic, but also at least reduce their maximum speed on the road in all sections of the road.
What winter tires to choose?
There are on the market today big choice winter tires, both foreign and domestic manufacturers, which offer consumers both studded and non-studded tires. What tires to buy you, only you can decide. Everyone must decide for himself what he likes best by choosing the best tire price for himself, as well as necessary set characteristics.
Remember that there are no universal and ideal winter tires. Each tire has both pluses and minuses.
Why do tire manufacturers make this huge selection tires with different specifications?
The thing is that each winter tire is produced under certain operating conditions for various weather conditions. Agree, winter in the north of Russia is not the same as winter in the southern regions of the country. Including the main criterion for choosing winter tires is the place of your residence. If you live far from large settlements, then naturally, due to poor road conditions, you are better off buying studded tires with a tread pattern that will not let you down on snowy or icy sections of country roads.
If you live in a large city, then you can purchase non-studded tires ("Velcro"), since in cities the roads are most often completely cleared of snow and treated with anti-icing agents.
Including before buying tires, find out how this or that rubber behaves on wet road, on ice, on snow and in mud. To do this, you can find some tests on the Internet. famous brands tires, as well as read reviews about them. So you can find out in detail information about all the pros and cons of a particular model and brand of tires. That is, you will learn many things that the sales assistant of the store is unlikely to tell you about.
Why are all-season tires worse than winter tires?
Yes, theoretically you can put all-season tires on your car instead of winter tires. They are also substantially better than summer tires. But remember that all-season tires can never outperform regular winter tires.
This is due not only because of the universal tread all season tires but also because of their chemical composition.
Firstly, all-season tires, compared to winter tires, have an increased braking distance. Secondly, the effectiveness of all-season tires in winter is observed only on the driving axle of the car. That is, on front wheel drive car All-season tires will only perform better on the front wheels. But the main disadvantage of all-season tires is observed when braking or with a sharp movement of the steering wheel. In this case, all-season tires lose traction much faster on slippery roads.
Should I buy high-speed wide winter tires?
A few years ago it was unthinkable to even think about high-speed winter tires. But today, many tire manufacturers have begun to produce special sports tires for high-speed traffic in winter time. Some tire models on the market today are designed for speeds up to 210 km/h.
True, sports winter tires still cannot change the laws of physics and, accordingly, ensure 100 percent safety while driving. powerful car. Therefore, do not think that by overpaying a lot of money for sports winter tires, you will get more security on the road in winter.
What is the responsibility for driving in winter on summer tires?
According to the current legislation, at the moment there is no actual punishment for operating a car in winter on summer tires. Yes, theoretically, a driver who drives a car with summer tires can be held liable for violating other traffic rules associated with a malfunction technical means. But in principle, such administrative cases are almost never initiated. At the moment in State Duma RF is a bill that provides for the introduction of liability for the use of rubber out of season. But most likely, even if this law is adopted and signed by the President of the Russian Federation, its entry into force will be delayed.
But, despite the lack of responsibility for the use of summer tires in winter, every driver must understand that when operating a car in winter, summer tires(or winter with a worn tread), he not only endangers himself, but also other road users, and of course his passengers.
Which car drive is best for winter driving?
With the appearance in cars of the front or all-wheel drive, there is still a long debate about which drive is better: rear, front or all-wheel drive. But in fact, this dispute is not a grateful cause, since the ideal drive does not exist. All this is due to the fact that each type of wheel drive has its pros and cons. Here are the main pros and cons of each type of drive on winter road:
Front-wheel drive
Even on a slippery road, the car is stable when accelerating
On slopes, the machine's capabilities are limited. Especially if no one is sitting in the back of the car. In this case, due to the heavy front axle, the vehicle may be difficult to steer.
When braking while cornering, the vehicle's front wheels may lose traction and the vehicle may skid.
Rear drive
The more ice on the road, the more risk, What rear wheels lose traction. Especially when you press the gas pedal hard or when accelerating from a standstill.
On slopes, a rear wheel drive car has an advantage over a front wheel drive car. When going downhill, the rear-wheel drive car is more manageable. The thing is that in rear-wheel drive cars, the weight of the car is evenly distributed between the rear and front axles.
Better Grip off the road when towing a trailer
Four-wheel drive
good grip even on slippery roads. Even on slippery slopes
High driving stability when cornering. Therefore, all-wheel drive vehicles in winter can pass sections of the road much faster than front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive vehicles.
When driving downhill, the advantages all-wheel drive vehicle virtually none, except for better engine braking
Unfortunately, a four-wheel drive car is the hardest to get out of an uncontrolled skid.
Increased wear on drive components as well as high flow fuel
As you can see, on a winter road, the advantages of both the rear and front wheel drive, No. Of course, cars equipped with an all-wheel drive system look much more efficient, which, despite numerous disputes, still has an advantage over other types of torque transmission to the wheels.
So if you want to feel more confident driving a car in the winter, it is advisable to purchase an all-wheel drive car. This is especially true for those people who live in regions where winter lasts more than 3 months a year.
In this case, buying a crossover or a full-fledged SUV will be justified. Otherwise, you are pointlessly overpaying for the purchase. all-wheel drive car and will spend more money on it in the future. Remember that the cost of maintaining a four-wheel drive vehicle is always higher compared to front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive passenger vehicles.
Anti-skid chains
In some European countries, in winter, the driver is required to use snow chains on slippery sections of the road, which must be installed on the wheels. In our country, the legislation does not provide for the obligation to install tire chains.
However, this does not mean that it makes no sense to install them on wheels. IN certain situations snow chains can really help you when driving on icy roads.
Remember that even studded tires cannot provide you with reliable traction. Especially on slippery slopes. So if you decide to go in the winter far from home and your path lies through country roads, we advise you to take chains with you just in case. At least one pair that you can install on the drive wheels of your car if necessary.
Difficult weather conditions in winter on the road
In winter, regardless of the region of our residence, every driver may encounter severe weather conditions on the road. Moreover, it is worth noting that snowfall is not the most dangerous precipitation while driving.
Here is a list of various weather events, which can turn the road into a skating rink:
Frost
In winter, frost may form on the road, due to the fact that the formed fog or very humid air begins to settle on the surface of the road, the temperature of which is below 0 ° C. As a result, a thin layer of frost may form on the road. Be careful. Hoarfrost can turn a road into a skating rink. The worst thing is that you may not see the surface frost.
freezing rain
Unfortunately, in recent years, dangerous natural phenomena in the form of freezing rain have become increasingly common in our country, which is formed due to the temperature difference in the upper atmosphere and on the surface of the earth. As a result, an incompletely frozen ball of water can be applied to the ground, which, when it hits the surface of the earth, turns into water, which instantly freezes. As a result, this leads to very dangerous ice and freezing of not only roads, but also trees, poles, buildings, wires and cars. Unfortunately, treating the road with reagents does not help protect the surface from freezing rain.
Rain in winter
Another dangerous phenomenon is the usual wet rain in winter time. During thaws in winter it often rains instead of snow. As a rule, such wet precipitation falls in daytime when during thaws in the daytime a positive temperature can be observed. But at night, the temperature often goes into negative values. As a result, the fallen rain turns into ice, forming an even and thick layer of ice on the road. It is noteworthy that even if, after freezing the water on the road, the road is treated with anti-icing agents, the asphalt surface will be very slippery for a long time, because the thawing process will be very slow due to thick ice.
Wet and dense snow
Heavy precipitation in the form of snow often falls in winter. Depending on the outside temperature, the snow can be very wet, which creates the problem of precipitation build-up. For example, stuck snow eventually begins to compact on the road, creating an ice crust. As a result, the road can become very slippery. This is more common, even more dangerous, than ice on the road due to rainfall.
Fog
Yes, yes, fog can also often form in winter with a sharp warming. As a result, the snow begins to melt, forming a thick fog. In addition to its further settling in the form of water, which, when the temperature drops, will freeze, turning into hoarfrost, fog carries another danger.
It's about visibility on the road. But the main danger lies in the optical illusion., which the driver may encounter when driving in fog. For example, it has been found that when driving a car in dense fog, objects may appear to the driver much further than they actually are. We advise you to follow this formula when driving in fog:
If visibility on the road is 60 meters,
then your speed should be no more than 60 km/h.
If visibility on the road only 30 meters then you shouldn't
accelerate more 30 km/h.
So, in winter, be extremely careful, as road conditions can change constantly even within a few hours. Blame it all constant fluctuations temperatures. Believe me, much safer road when on the street hard frost and there are no major temperature fluctuations.
Therefore, if the temperature fluctuates around 0 ° C, then you must be as careful and attentive as possible, since it is at this value of air temperature that a film of thin ice constantly forms on the road.
Attention!!! The most treacherous sections of the road in winter are bridges and overpasses. The fact is that these areas most often in a short time can be covered with ice due to additional cooling from below. That is why in winter the maximum speed on many bridges and flyovers is limited to 40 km/h.
Also dangerous sections of the road that pass in the lowlands, near rivers, lakes and seas. Including most often freeze roads that pass through tunnels and forests.
Humidity
Another danger on the winter road that threatens the safety of the driver is high humidity. For example, during a thaw. As a result, from heavy snowmelt, excess water can form on the road, which can lead to hydroplaning of the car.
The fact is that when driving through puddles under the wheels of a car, a thin film is formed in the form air cushion. The higher the speed of the car, the greater the effect of hydroplaning.. Accordingly, than more speed cars on the water, the less grip.
Eventually similar effect can cause a complete loss of traction, leading to an uncontrolled skid.
How to understand that the effect of aquaplaning has begun to be observed on a wet road in order to slow down in time or take action? Everything is very simple.
The less grip on the road, the easier it is to turn the steering wheel. So if you are driving on a road with a lot of water and your steering wheel has become too soft, immediately reduce the speed of the car.
To minimize the risk of aquaplaning, you should always change worn tires to a new one, since the tread height directly affects safety when driving on water. Remember that the higher the tread height, the more efficiently the tires remove water from under the wheels, preventing the formation of a water cushion.
Darkness
In winter, very short daylight hours. Many of us get up for work when it's still dark outside. In the evening, going home from work, we again find ourselves in twilight or darkness, which is very dangerous when driving.
Therefore, in dark time Be careful during the day and follow the speed limit.
It is desirable that your speed matches the visibility on the road.
For example, if you see a road at 50 meters, then your speed
should not exceed 50 km/h.
Also, pay close attention to the condition of the car windows and side mirrors. For example, every driver before driving at night must clean the glass from dirt. Otherwise, due to the harsh lighting of other cars, dirty windows will give dangerous glare, and you will most often not see other vehicles on the road, and solid stains on the windows, which will worsen your visibility on the road.
Progress has not stood still for a long time: the former low-speed, but noisy diesel engines began to work quieter, and their power, and, accordingly, their dynamics increased. Moreover, a noticeable breakthrough in this direction happened when turbocharging began to be installed on diesel power plants. Today, many cars equipped with diesel engines have a turbine in their design. However, not all owners of cars with such units know how to properly operate a turbodiesel engine so that it lasts as long as possible. We have prepared eight simple tips that will help current or potential owners of machines with similar units to avoid miscalculations in the operation of the turbine.
Council number 1. Keep the oil level under control.
To all engines in general, but to the turbocharged one we are considering diesel engine in particular, oil starvation is not recommended. After all, oil in such a unit plays a special role, lubricating the plain and rolling bearings of the turbocharger. When the level engine oil falls, the bearings do not receive the required amount of lubrication, which leads to their rapid wear and failure.
Therefore, we recommend that you check the oil level in the crankcase as often as possible and, if a deficiency of lubrication is detected, you need to immediately top up the amount. In addition, it is necessary to find out the reason why the oil level in the system drops (this may be contamination or leaks). oil system, failure oil pump etc.) and eliminate it immediately.
Council number 2. Use only high quality engine oil.
Once you have purchased a car with a turbodiesel engine, do not skimp on refueling it with high-quality and manufacturer-recommended engine oil. Here, as in the well-known saying: save on fish, get a bad yushka. Above, we have already indicated what role engine oil plays for a turbine, so pouring any oil into the engine means dooming the turbocharger in advance power plant his car to a slow death. It is important to remember that oils recommended for turbocharged units are different in composition from conventional oils due to the fact that when working in a turbine they are subject to much higher temperatures and loads than in atmospheric motor. Another important aspect: it is highly not recommended to mix different ratios, for example, add 5w-30 oil to the engine if 10w-40 has already been filled there.
Council number 3. Monitor the quality of diesel fuel.
Turbine diesel engine is sensitive not only to the quality of engine oil, but also to the quality of the fuel that you “feed” your car. When using fuel Low quality likely clogging fuel system engine, which, in turn, affects the loss of engine power, which is why, in order to fill this gap in speed, it is forced to work at the power limit. And this can lead to a reduction in its service life.
Council number 4. Avoid overgassing when starting a turbocharged engine.
This advice should be followed, first of all, by those owners of cars who do not have a Start & Stop engine start / stop system installed. The fact is that when starting the engine, the oil channels are not yet filled with engine oil, when you press the accelerator pedal, you give a load to the turbine, which rotates with little or no oil, as a result of which its components (bronze-graphite sliding and rolling bearings) wear out quickly, which eventually leads to failure of the turbocharger.
Therefore, we strongly recommend that you apply gas smoothly, and for some time (within 5 minutes maximum) after starting, let the engine idle, and then start moving to low revs gradually increasing the load. Let's make a reservation that this is important for engines that are not equipped with the Start & Stop system.
Council number 5. Keep the speed at medium speed while driving.
The engine turbine is a unit that constantly operates at high loads, so it is impossible to drive a car with such a unit for a long time at low revs. In general, it is recommended to let the engine turbine run at extremely high speed several times a week: in this way, you will activate the cleaning process of the turbocharger boost system, which will later help extend the life of the unit. It is important to avoid "twisting" the turbine, i.e. long drive at high speeds. At the same time, the turbocharger rotor experiences increased loads, which leads to an imbalance in its operation and, as a result, failure of its components.
Therefore, when driving a car with this type of engine, it is best to stick to medium speeds.
Council number 6. Do not turn off the engine immediately after stopping the vehicle.
This advice is especially important for motorists whose turbodiesel engines are not equipped with a Start & Stop system. The fact is that when the engine stops immediately, the turbine impellers still continue to rotate, but the oil that lubricates them is no longer enough, which leads to overheating of the turbocharger components (rotor and bearings). And this, in turn, leads to increased wear specified parts of the turbine.
Therefore, after stopping, let the engine idle for a short (no more than 5 minutes) time. During this time, the turbine will cool down and can be deactivated.
Council number 7. Avoid prolonged idling of the engine.
For a turbocharged engine, idling for 20-30 minutes is like death. The fact is that with this mode of engine operation, coking (in other words, clogging) of the turbine, namely the oil outlet tube, the drive for changing the geometry of the turbine, can occur. Also, during prolonged idling, engine oil can be sucked into the engine cylinders, which can lead to failure of the components of the cylinder-piston group.
If you still keep the motor for a long time on Idling, then we advise you to keep the crankshaft speed at 1200-1600 rpm.
Tip #8. Perform vehicle maintenance on time.
Stick to the manufacturer's recommended timing and filters, both oil and air. Remember that for a turbocharged engine, maintenance times are usually shorter than for a naturally aspirated engine, since the turbine operates at higher loads than a conventional one. diesel unit, and therefore needs more fresh oil and filters.
Following these simple tips will save car owners from costly turbine repairs.
