Five Winter Checks Worth Doing Before the Cold Snap

Every year the first proper cold snap brings in a wave of flat batteries, dead wipers and cars that just won't start. Almost all of it is preventable with a few checks that take less than half an hour.

Battery health is the big one. Batteries lose a noticeable chunk of their cranking power in the cold, so one that's already borderline in summer can fail outright in winter. If yours is three years or older, it's worth having it load-tested.

Antifreeze concentration matters more than people think. Coolant that's been topped up with plain water over the years can lose its freeze protection, which risks a cracked block in a hard frost.

Tyres, wipers and screenwash round out the list. Tread depth affects grip far more in the wet and cold, old wiper blades smear rather than clear, and screenwash needs to actually be rated for freezing temperatures, not just diluted.

None of this takes long to check, and it's a lot cheaper than a breakdown recovery call on the coldest morning of the year.