Bosch Auto Service ─ Operation manual in winter conditions

Required contents of the trunk

You realize that winter has come, when the windows are covered with ice, and the door lock freezes. There are several things that you should always remember about, so as not to be afraid of any unforeseen circumstances:

• Scraper for ice, brush and folding shovel for snow and ice cleaning from the car.
• Rubber mats to help you in an emergency.
• Wool blanket in case of prolonged stoppers or for use in the installation of chains of anti-skid.
• Snow chains - to continue driving even in extreme winter conditions.
• Wire for external engine start to cope with start problems and be able to help others.

Important information for recharging the battery

Recharge the battery is easy. To avoid short circuits, the following points should be considered:

• Both batteries must have the same rated voltage (12 V).
• The carcasses of cars should not touch.

The following sequence of actions is crucial:

• Connect the red contact (A) to the positive terminal of the discharged battery.
• Connect the red contact (B) to the positive terminal of the charged battery.
• Connect the black contact (A) to the negative terminal of the charged battery.
• Connect the black contact (B) to the motor or to the grounding of the housing (warning: never connect the terminal to the negative terminal of a discharged battery, since the sparks in this case can ignite explosive gases).
• Start the engine.
• In the reverse order, disconnect the contacts.

How to survive the winter safely?

Sometimes winter weather makes driving a real challenge. The following tips will help you cope with even the most difficult situations:

• As a general rule: always adjust your driving style to weather conditions.
• Keep track of various road conditions (wet surface, foliage, frost, snow-covered areas, etc.), since this factor often leads to an accident.
• When driving in snow or ice conditions, the tires begin to lose traction, so that the length of the braking distance increases significantly.
• Manage the speed in accordance with the surrounding conditions and stay at a further distance from the cars ahead.
• Avoid strong acceleration, as well as sudden braking and turning.
• To prevent skidding of the wheels on the road with snow cover and slopes, start driving at low speed.

The start of moving on ice or snow - how to avoid wheel slip:

Slowly start the movement in the second gear, gently releasing the clutch.  If necessary, increase the load on the wheels to ensure a better grip of the tire with the road.  Important information for front-wheel drive vehicles: the car's inclination changes when reverse gear is engaged.Important information for rear-wheel drive vehicles: increase the load on the rear axle, loading the trunk accordingly.

What are the advantages of winter tires?

Did you know that ... a car with summer tires traveling at a speed of 50 km / h on a snow-covered road requires 43 meters for a complete stop.  When driving on winter tires, this distance is reduced to 35 meters. This is because the summer tires do not provide the necessary adhesion to the road at temperatures below 7 ° C.

Important information about winter tires:

The performance of winter tires deteriorates with a decrease in the tread depth and an increase in the service life. Therefore, we recommend changing tires by reducing the tread depth to 4 mm or after 10 years of service.

How to maintain good visibility in winter?

Driving in winter can be complicated by various weather conditions, including rain with snow, heavy snow or thick fog. Follow the following tips to ensure good visibility even in difficult situations:

• Turn headlights on even during daytime driving.
• Clean off all the snow and ice from the windows and mirrors before starting the movement.
• Clean the headlights regularly.
• Use fog lights only if visibility is less than 50 meters.
• Make sure that the wiper blades  are in good condition.
• When parking, cover the front and rear windows.
• The level of the washer fluid and antifreeze in the windshield washer system should be maximized.

Source:  www.boschcarservice.com