How To Prepare Your Car for Winter

1 September 2026 · 5 min read min read

Tyres and Tread

Tyres lose grip in cold, wet and icy conditions faster than most drivers expect, so tread depth matters even more in winter. Check all four tyres with the 20p test and replace any close to the legal 1.6mm minimum before the weather turns.

Check pressures too, since colder air temperatures cause tyre pressure to drop over the season — under-inflated tyres lose grip and wear unevenly, which is the last thing you want on a frosty morning.

Battery and Lights

Cold weather is the most common trigger for a battery failing to start the engine, especially on batteries already a few years old. Get it tested before winter rather than finding out the hard way on a freezing morning — see our winter battery guide for more detail.

With darker mornings and evenings, check every light is working — headlights, brake lights, indicators and fog lights — and clean the lenses, since road grime builds up fast in winter and dims your visibility to other drivers.

Antifreeze and Screenwash

Check your coolant is mixed to the correct antifreeze strength for winter temperatures — plain water or a weak mix can freeze and even crack the engine block in severe cold. Your handbook will confirm the recommended concentration.

Top up screenwash with a proper winter-strength fluid rather than water, which can freeze on the windscreen and block the washer jets exactly when you need them most.

Winter Emergency Kit

Keep a torch, a warm blanket, an ice scraper and de-icer, a phone charger, and some basic tools in the car through winter. Breakdowns are more likely in cold weather, and being prepared makes a stressful situation far more manageable.

If your car does let you down, Millfields Auto Services offers recovery and collection across Bilston and the Black Country. Call us on 01902 492116 or book online for a pre-winter check.

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