Car maintenance checklist: Tips to stop winter taking its toll on your car

With the weather starting to turn and the clocks about to change, colder, wetter and darker conditions can make every journey that little bit more demanding. That’s why it’s essential to take a few simple steps to protect yourself, your family and your vehicle.

To keep you safe on the roads, we've put together a winter car maintenance checklist packed with practical tips to help you prepare for whatever the weather throws your way.

Keep scrolling for expert advice on tyre care, battery checks and essential driving accessories.

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1. Look after your tyres

Why is it important? Tyre pressure can drop in colder conditions, limiting the amount of control you have on the road.

While doing basic tyre checks can’t prevent punctures, they can give you peace of mind that your tyres are in good condition. Winter can take its toll on tyres, so it’s worth checking the manufacturer’s recommended tyre pressure, which you’ll usually find in the car’s handbook or on the inside of the driver’s door.

Tyres that aren’t inflated properly can make your car harder to handle and use more fuel. The quickest way to fix it is with an automatic pump at a petrol station or garage.

You can find more tips in our simple step-by-step guide on how to change a car tyre.

Keep an eye on your tyre tread depth. While the minimum legal tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm, it’s best to aim for at least 3mm during winter. This helps water drain more effectively from the tyres, improving grip and safety on wet or snowy roads.

You can buy a tyre depth gauge online or in-store at car part retailers, including Halfords, but you can also use something as simple as a coin. Slot a 20p coin into the tread grooves – if the outer band on the coin is obscured, your tyres are above the legal limit. Be sure to check it in multiple places, though, as tyre wear isn't always even.

2. Check the condition of your battery

Why is it important? Failing car batteries are one of the most common causes of winter breakdowns.

You can check your battery’s age by looking for a sticker or an engraved code on the battery – that will tell you the month and year of manufacture. Age doesn’t tell the whole story, however, and a mechanic will be able to assess your battery's ability to retain charge, which is far more important.

If you need to replace your battery, look for one that comes with a warranty of up to five years.

To help prolong its life, try to take your car on longer journeys when possible, as frequent short trips don’t allow the battery to fully recharge. Before switching off the engine, make sure the lights, radio, heaters and wipers are turned off to help conserve power.

3. Manage your coolant levels

Why is it important? Doing so can prevent the engine from overheating.

Antifreeze is a liquid that prevents water in your engine’s cooling system from freezing. When diluted, it's known as coolant. The coolant levels should be checked during your annual service. But keep an eye on them yourself.

The coolant tank (also known as an expansion tank) is a large, clear plastic container under your car bonnet. If you’re not unfamiliar with it, check your manual so you don’t confuse it with one of the other engine fluids, such as the brake fluid reservoir.

Don’t attempt to unscrew the coolant tank’s lid if you’ve just switched off the engine – the sudden release of pressure could mean you end up getting sprayed with hot water. Wait for it to cool down. The level of coolant should be between the minimum and maximum marks on the side of the tank. Check your car's manual to find what mixture of water and antifreeze to use.

If you don’t feel confident about checking coolant levels, ask your local garage.

4. Check the brightness and angle of your headlights

Why is it important? Issues with your headlights can impact other drivers and limit their visibility.

One problem for drivers during winter is other vehicles’ headlights. Too bright or not on at all is the general focus of the complaints – and rightly so, as both extremes can cause danger on the roads.

It’s worth checking your headlights every week to make sure they’re working properly and positioned correctly, so you don’t dazzle other road users. Modern cars have LED lights, which are fairly reliable. However, the bulbs on older vehicles can fail without the driver immediately realising it, which can pose a safety risk.

If your car has automatic full-beam headlights, bear in mind they're often not perfect. Automatic systems don’t always dip the lights at the right moment, so if you're getting flashed by oncoming drivers it's best to switch to manual full beam control.

Car lights at night: how to reduce headlight glare – more than three quarters of our surveyed members had concerns.

5. Prepare an emergency car kit

Why is it important? Having a kit on hand means you're prepared in the event of an incident or harsh weather conditions.

It's important to keep certain items in the car at all times. These include:

• Ice scraper and deicer
• Torch
• Charged phone in case your car battery dies (See also: Best power banks)
• Blanket
• Sunglasses (in case of glare from the low winter sun)
• Contact details for a car breakdown provider

It’s also good to have a camera with you, such as the one on your phone, in case you need to take pictures in the event of an accident.

Our research shows top breakdown providers will almost always get to you in under an hour. For more details, see our guide to the best and worst car breakdown providers.

6. Keep your windscreen clear

Why is it important? Peering through a makeshift porthole is dangerous and illegal.

Take time to clear your windscreen thoroughly of ice, snow and condensation before each journey, using a scraper and de-icer if necessary.

If your vehicle has automatic windscreen wipers, make sure they're switched off before you turn on the engine. If your wipers are frozen to the screen or blocked by snow, it could result in the blades snapping or causing damage to the wiper transmission, such as a blown fuse.

When the weather is freezing, don’t be tempted to use windscreen washers because the pump will most likely be frozen. Even if they do work, the water will probably freeze – which makes visibility even worse.

7. Keep your car clean

Why is it important? You'll protect the paint on your car and ensure you aren't stopped by police.

Cleaning your car in winter can feel like a pointless task because of the muddy roads, but it’s still important.

Salt and grit can corrode unpainted metal on your car, so regular washing helps protect the bodywork. It also ensures your lights and number plates remain visible, as obscured plates or lights could lead to being stopped by the police.

See our pick of the best cars – we've independently tested hundreds of models and rounded up the best cars by class.