Driving out in this? You need to be prepared...
SYRACUSE -- With temperatures expected to continue dropping this week, the last thing you want is to end up stuck in the cold. Stephen Lyons of Firestone says there are a few things everyone can do to make sure their cars are ready for winter.
"The first thing you should check is your tires. You can lose a pound of pressure for every ten degree drop in temperature," he says.
Another way to check your tires is to stick a penny into the tread if you can see the top of Lincoln's head. If you see all of his head, it may be time for new tires.
Cold weather can drain a battery. If your battery is more than four years old, get it tested. It only takes five minutes and is free at most garages.
"The cost of checking it is zero. The cost of it failing runs into the thousands of dollars," said Lyons.
Finally, check your coolant. You may have mixed water into your coolant at some point, which is fine in summer temperatures, but when it gets below freezing it could crack your hoses or even damage your engine block.
It is also recommended that you keep an emergency kit in your trunk with jumper cables, a battery charger, flares and first aid kit. Lyons says taking these small steps now could save you some major headaches later this winter.
"When that first snow hits, people go into panic mode. There is no worse feeling than being stuck on the road in the snow," he says.
For more information, visit Firestone's emergency car care page by clicking here.
