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5 Car Tips For Frigid Temps

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The cold weather can be really tough on your car, and it can be hard to wade through all the information about the best ways to keep it running well.

Tip No. 1 – Prepare for the cold by topping off your fluids and replacing your battery.

Doug Steady of St. Louis Park Service Center said once a battery gets in the three-to-five year range, you might want to replace it.

"If there's no charge in them, they'll freeze," he said.

Tip No. 2 – Having the wrong fluids can lock up your car's engine. Make sure you're using a thinner oil and that your anti-freeze can stand sub-zero temperatures.

Tip No. 3 – If your car has been turned off out in the cold for a long time, let the engine run for a while before you head out.

"If you know it's going to get really, really cold, go out during the night and start it a couple of times," Steady said. "Let it run for about 15 minutes, then shut it off."

Tip No. 4 – And make sure to check tire pressure regularly. For every five degree temperature drop, your tire loses a pound of air.

Tip No. 5 – Take care of your car like it's one of the family, which in the end could save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

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