Will warming up my car this winter affect my gas mileage?

Video Transcription
Will using the heater in your car affect gas mileage like the air conditioning might? No, you see the heat all that is doing is using the heat that is already there in the engine that the engine is producing. It’s not running any type of extra equipment that draws power and consumes fuel, so use the heater all you want, it will not sacrifice any fuel.

Cold starting a car used to be a complex process, but these days it’s a lot more simple.

Video Transcription
Well, starting a cold engine used to be a complex process of depressing the accelerator for two seconds and releasing it, turning the key, and a whole bunch of different things like that. Then, if it didn’t start, you had to hold it to the floor and crank the engine. Well, all of that stuff is gone. See, fuel delivery in the engine compartment now is controlled 100 percent by the car’s computer and no matter what you do with the accelerator pedal inside the car or anything it really isn’t going to have much effect on the way the car starts. So, cold starting these days — get in the car, put your foot on the brake, turn the key, and it starts. That’s all there is to it.

Are you having issues with the heat in your car? If your heat is not working properly, there are a number of things that could be the cause, so be sure to get it checked out right away.

Video Transcription:
All right, no heat in the car, lots of things that could cause that but one of the most typical ones is a bad thermostat. Back in the day, thermostats failed in the closed position and that meant the car over heated, and it often meant that there was damage to the car. Most thermostats these days though fail in the open position which means the engine doesn’t get hot enough to produce the heat that you need inside the car, so that’s number one. Number two, always make sure that the cooling system is actually full of coolant, not just the recovery bottle over on the side, but that there’s actually enough coolant in the radiator itself. Then come the more exotic things. If the heat comes and goes, then you may also see an accompanying fluctuation of the temperature gauge, and you want to immediately have a proper head gasket test performed. And of course there are other things with air blenders and things like that, but by and large the most typical things are going to be low coolant and bad thermostats.

Using some of these old school techniques to deice your car could cost you hundreds of dollars. Here’s what you should (and shouldn’t) do to deice your car this winter.

Video Transcription
Alright, getting ice off a car can be really tricky. Now, back in the day when this car was new, you could do just about anything you wanted that wouldn’t damage the paint and you’d be okay, but on modern cars you have to be very, very careful. There are some chemicals that you can use that will thaw out locks and things like that and that’s what you want to use. See primarily it’s what you don’t do with a modern car. The lock is frozen, well back in the day you took a cigarette lighter and you heated the key – don’t do that with a modern key, because there’s a transponder inside that key which can be damaged from the heat and in many cases there are going to be electronics in the lock that could also be damaged. So, getting your lock unfrozen could cost you several hundred dollars if you do it old school.

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As with most things, it’s easy to forget to form a backup plan for getting your car out of snow until it actually happens. During the winter months, it is important to be prepared with an emergency kit.

Pack a bag with a screwdriver and hand trowel – these items are small and easy to store, as opposed to a full-sized snow shovel. Make sure you have blankets, warm clothing, and emergency food in case you need to wait for help. These tips from aamcocolorado.com can help you get—and stay—unstuck.

What to do: When you find yourself stuck in snow, the first thing to remember is safety.

• Turn on your hazard lights, check and make sure the road is free of other vehicles before getting out, and minimize your time outside of the car.
• Don’t spin your tires. That will only dig your car in deeper and possibly damage the tires.
• Check your tailpipe. Clear it if it’s blocked by snow – this can cause deadly fumes to build up in your car.
• Dig out the snow immediately surrounding your tires, and break up the ice under the tires with the screwdriver, this will give your wheels more traction.
• If you have salt, sand, or kitty litter, put it under your rear tires before you try to pull out again.

What to not do: Some common mistakes motorists make when trying to free their car can end up causing more damage and expense. Techniques such as rocking your car by switching it rapidly from forward to reverse can damage your transmission.  Make sure you clear snow from your grille before driving off—blocking this vent can cause your car to overheat.

If all else fails: Call a tow truck. It’s wise to have a membership with an organization like AAA to make the process of calling for help is simple as possible. Remember that depending on how many other motorists need aid, you may end up waiting a while before help comes—so make sure you have an emergency kit in your car to stay safe and comfortable.