AAA
urges
Michigan
motorist
to
prepare
vehicles
for
winter
weather
and
holiday
travels
DEARBORN
- With
the
weather
wizards
calling
for
colder
temperatures,
the
holiday
driving
season
on the
horizon
and the
first
day of
Winter a
little
over two
weeks
away,
AAA is
urging
Michigan
drivers
to get
their
vehicles
road-ready.
According
to 2016
AAA
Service
Volume
tracking,
nearly
29
percent
of the
Michigan
service
calls
were
attributed
to dead
batteries.
“Winter
driving
can be
stressful
for both
motorists
and
their
vehicles.
An ounce
of
prevention
is worth
a pound
of cure
when it
comes to
preparing
your car
for
another
Michigan
winter.”
stated
Susan
Hiltz,
Michigan
public
affairs
director
for
AAA-The
Auto
Club.
According
to the
attached
new AAA
Consumer
Pulse™
survey,
although
over one
in five
(22%) of
Michigan
motorists
are
concerned
about
their
vehicle
breaking
down or
not
starting
while
driving
in
winter
weather,
half of
them
(50%) do
not plan
on
having
vehicle
maintenance
done
before
winter.
By
simply
following
safe
driving
habits
like
planning
ahead,
driving
distraction-free
and
taking
time to
prepare
vehicles
for
winter
weather,
motorists
can help
ensure
trouble-free
travel.
AAA
Approved
Auto
Repair
(AAR)
facilities
provide
quality
car care
services.
With
that in
mind,
here are
the AAA
Top Ten
Winter
Car Care
Tips:
1.
Have
battery
and
charging
system
tested
to
ensure
they are
fully
charged
and in
good
condition.
2. Have
brakes
checked
to
ensure
they
work
properly
and
apply
smoothly
to help
prevent
the
wheels
from
locking
on slick
surfaces.
3. Have
tires
properly
inflated.
Under-inflated
tires
can be
dangerous,
and may
suffer
damage.
Tire air
pressure
decreases
1-2 psi
for
every 10
degree
temperature
drop.
4. Use
the tire
size
recommended
by your
vehicle’s
manufacturer
for best
snow
traction.
Overly
wide
tires
tend to
float on
top of
the
snow,
reducing
grip.
5. Make
sure the
engine
coolant
provides
anti-freeze
protection
down to
the
lowest
temperatures
you are
likely
to
encounter;
-30oF/-34oC
is a
good
guideline.
6.
Replace
worn
windshield
wipers
that
streak.
7. Fill
washer
reservoir
with a
winter
solvent
that
won’t
freeze.
8.
Always
keep the
gas tank
at least
half
full to
minimize
condensation
buildup
that can
lead to
gas line
freeze-up.
If the
fuel in
your
area
does not
already
contain
alcohol,
use a
gas line
“dryer”
additive
periodically
to
absorb
moisture.
9. Carry
a winter
driving
kit for
use in
the
event of
an
emergency.
The kit
should
include
a small
bag of
abrasive
material
(sand,
salt,
cat
litter),
a small
snow
shovel,
a snow
brush,
traction
mats, a
flashlight
with new
batteries,
basic
car
repair
tools,
window
washer
solvent,
an ice
scraper,
a cloth
or roll
of paper
towels,
jumper
cables,
a
blanket,
warning
devices
(flares
or
triangles),
snacks,
drinking
water
and
extra
clothes.
10.
Carry a
cell
phone
and car
charger.
Program
the
phone
with
important
numbers
including
a
reliable
roadside
service
provider
that you
have
signed
up with
in
advance,
such as
AAA
emergency
road
service
(1-800-222-6424).
Motorists
can also
access
AAA
roadside
assistance
with the
free AAA
app for
iPhone,
iPad and
Android
at
AAA.com/mobile
or
submit
road
service
requests
online
at
www.aaa.com.
The AAA
Consumer
Pulse™
Survey
was
conducted
online
among
residents
living
in
Michigan
from
October
10, 2017
–
October
18,
2017. A
total of
354
Michigan
drivers
completed
the
survey.
Overall
results
have a
maximum
margin
of error
of ± 5.2
percentage
points.
Responses
are
weighted
by
gender
and age
to
ensure
reliable
and
accurate
representation
of the
adult
population
(18+) in
Michigan.
The
AAA
Approved
Auto
Repair
(AAR)network
includes
nearly
7,000
facilities
which
have met
AAA’s
high
standards,
including,
certifications,
technical
training,
cleanliness,
insurance
requirements,
rigorous
inspections
and
customer
satisfaction.
AAA
members
are
eligible
for
special
benefits
such as
priority
service,
a
24-month/24,000-mile
warranty,
discounts,
free
inspections,
dispute
resolution
assistance
and
more. To
locate
an AAR
shop in
your
area,
visit
AAA.com/AutoRepair.