Before You Check Out the Fall Colors, Check on Your Car's Cooling System

As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, now is a good time for car owners to prepare their vehicles for winter weather.

To avoid cooling system problems this winter, The Gates Rubber Company suggests you have your service technician inspect the upper radiator, bypass and heater hoses when the antifreeze is checked this fall.

"Today's cars are better designed to withstand freezing temperatures than earlier models," say Gates Rubber Company engineers. "However, consumers who don't perform periodic visual inspections of their vehicle's vital components are risking a costly and aggravating breakdown," they warn.

This caution is supported by industry statistics that report more than five million breakdowns nationally could be avoided each year if motorists performed a simple and quick inspection of their tires, belts and hoses alone.

Among the key items to check are:

• Battery - Icy-cold temperatures can reduce a vehicle's battery power by up to fifty percent. If the battery is barely turning the engine over now, it is highly likely to fail during the winter. If your vehicle battery is older than three years, have it tested at a certified automotive repair facility. Also, make sure the posts and connections are free of corrosion.
  
  
• Oil - Dirty oil makes it harder for the engine to turn over, especially in cold weather, resulting in premature engine wear. Check your owner's manual for the recommended oil change frequency and the appropriate grade of oil for winter temperatures in your area. At the same time, check and replace a dirty air filter.
  
  
• Tires - Tires are frequently the most neglected vehicle component but are among the most important. A major motoring club estimates one in two tires on the road today is either worn or under-inflated. For every ten-degree drop in temperature, tires lose about one pound of pressure. Check tire pressure at least monthly, and inspect your tires' condition before winter sets in. Worn tires will not provide sufficient traction -- especially in wet weather. Uneven wear can indicate alignment, suspension or wheel balance problems.
  
  
• Belts - Almost all car engines have a single serpentine belt that drives the accessories off the engine crankshaft. When the belt fails, the water pump, generator and power steering won't work. Without the water pump, for example, the engine will overheat (even in freezing temperatures) and quit within a few miles. Gates says serpentine belts should be checked periodically for signs of wear. Random belt cracks appear later in the belt's life and are a prelude to failure. Other indications of wear include chunking, where parts of the ribs break off (replace the belt immediately), glazing of belt sidewalls, pilling and oil contamination. Pilling occurs when belt material wears off the belt and fills the pulley grooves.
  
  
• Hoses - Modern materials have made hoses very durable with relatively long lives. Unfortunately, when they do fail, it's often unexpected and it's not easily detected beforehand. Gates engineers say the unforeseen failure of radiator, heater and thermostat by-pass hoses results from an electrochemical attack on the rubber tube compound in the hose. This chemical reaction causes micro-cracks in the hose tube, allowing the coolant to attack and weaken the hose reinforcement. Accelerated by high-heat and flexing, the hose can develop a pinhole leak or rupture at any time.
  
  Gates suggests that car owners should have their belts and hoses checked in combination with oil changes, or every 3,000 - 4,000 miles. If the vehicle is over four years old, the belts and major coolant hoses should be replaced immediately.
  
  
• Wipers - Visibility is particularly key in winter, but it is often compromised by precipitation, salt buildup on the windshield and reduced daylight. The life expectancy of a wiper blade is one year. If your car's blades are older, replace them. Also check and fill your wiper fluid reservoir. A harsh winter storm is the worst possible time to run out of wiper fluid or to discover your blades aren't performing properly.
  
  
• Antifreeze - Engine coolant must be adequate for the geographic area where you live. A 50-50 mix of antifreeze and water is usually recommended. To help prevent radiator freeze-ups and overheating, the cooling system should be completely flushed and refilled every 24 months. This is also a good time to have the coolant hoses inspected and replaced.