Southern Indiana winters are hard on cars. One week it’s 50 degrees and raining, the next it’s 15 with ice on I-65. Those swings, plus road salt on IN-111 and the Lewis and Clark Bridge, wear out batteries, tires and brakes faster than steady cold does.
Here’s what our techs in Sellersburg check before winter, and what you can check yourself in a few minutes.
1. The battery
Cold weather doesn’t usually kill a battery outright. It exposes one that was already weak. A battery loses a big share of its cranking power as the temperature drops, while a cold engine needs more power to start. If your battery is more than three or four years old, or you’ve noticed a slow crank on cool mornings, have it tested before the first hard freeze. A battery test is quick, and it’s a lot cheaper than a tow from a parking lot at 6 a.m.
Check it yourself: look for white or green crust on the terminals, and notice whether the engine cranks slower than it used to.
2. Tires and tire pressure
Tire pressure drops about 1 PSI for every 10 degrees the temperature falls. A tire set correctly in September can be 4 or 5 PSI low by January, which hurts traction and braking just when you need both. Tread depth matters more on wet and slushy roads too.
Check it yourself: check the pressure in the morning, before you drive, against the sticker in your driver’s door jamb rather than the number on the tire. For tread, put a penny in the groove with Lincoln’s head pointing down. If you can see all of his head, the tires are getting low.
3. Brakes
Salt and moisture speed up rust on rotors, calipers and brake lines. Brakes that were “fine” in summer can start pulling, grinding or feeling soft once winter sets in. Stopping on a slick road is the worst time to find out.
Watch for: squealing or grinding, a pedal that feels soft or sinks, the car pulling to one side, or a brake warning light.
4. Fluids: antifreeze, oil and washer fluid
- Coolant (antifreeze) keeps the engine from freezing and keeps your heater working. Old or diluted coolant can’t protect as well.
- Oil: if you’re near your oil change interval, do it before winter. Fresh oil flows better on a cold start.
- Washer fluid: switch to a winter blend that won’t freeze. Salt spray will empty the reservoir faster than you’d think.
Fluid changes and oil service →
5. Heat and defrost
If your heater blows lukewarm air or the windshield takes forever to clear, that’s a safety problem, not just a comfort one. Weak heat can point to low coolant, a stuck thermostat or a heater core problem, and a fogged windshield on a dark morning is dangerous.
6. Wipers and lights
Wiper blades crack in summer heat and then smear in winter. Replace them if they streak or chatter. Walk around the car with the lights on: shorter days mean you’re driving in the dark more often.
7. A small emergency kit
Keep an ice scraper, gloves, a blanket, a phone charger, a flashlight and jumper cables or a jump pack in the car. It takes five minutes to put together, and you’ll be glad you have it if you’re stuck on the shoulder.
Get a winter check in Sellersburg
If you’d rather have someone else look it over, bring it to Blue Collar Automotive at 6018 IN-111 in Sellersburg. We’ll check the battery, tires, brakes, fluids and heat, then tell you what needs attention now and what can wait. You get a written estimate before any work starts, most repairs are done in 24–48 hours, and our work is backed by a 2-year/24,000-mile warranty.
We serve drivers from Sellersburg, Clarksville, Jeffersonville, New Albany, Memphis and the surrounding area. Walk-ins are welcome Monday through Friday, 8am–5pm.
Call (812) 748-0245 or book online.