Wind chills around -30°F are tough on vehicles! Ensure yours lasts through winter

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The arctic air has moved in! We've seen bitterly cold temperatures this week, and the National Weather Service has issued another Wind Chill Advisory to take effect at midnight Wednesday, January 7th through noon Thursday, January 8th. FOX6 Weather Experts say the wind will pick up Tuesday night under partly cloudy skies, and temperatures will fall below zero overnight with wind chills around -30°F by Wednesday morning. When it gets this cold, a lot of us experience car troubles. So what can you do to ensure your vehicle will make it through winter?

It is a very busy time of year for those who work in the Service Department at Andrew Chevrolet.

Service Manager James Balfe took some time to offer six tips that will help to winterize your vehicle.

Number One: Make sure you have plenty of tread on your tires.

"These slots here are going to allow the water and the ice and snow to get out of the way. If your tire was bald, it wouldn't be contacting the road because it just would give a slick effect. It's called hydroplaning," Balfe said.

Number Two: Make sure your tire pressure is at the correct level.

"For every 10 degrees that it gets colder outside you lose one pound of pressure in your tires," Balfe said.

A vehicle Balfe showed FOX6 News calls for 38 pounds of pressure in the tires.

"This car here takes 38 pounds of pressure in the front and 38 pounds in the back -- so that's where you find out your proper tire pressure for every vehicle -- knowing that you're going to want to go just a few pounds heavier, so you'll probably go 41 pounds in this car," Balfe said.

No adjustments have to be made if you fill your tires with nitrogen.

Number Three: Let your car run before driving it.

"In the morning, we want you to start up your car. Just let it run about five minutes so the oil can get a little warmed up and moving throughout the engine and the transmission fluid can move where it needs to in the transmission to shift properly," Balfe said.

Number Four: Turn your defrost on in the front and back. That makes scraping off any ice from your windshield much easier.

Number Five: Use a winter blend windshield wiper fluid that contains a little more alcohol. If you don't...

"The chances of it freezing here or in the line are greatly improved," Balfe said.

Number Six: When you're driving on ice and snow-covered roadways, avoid spinning your tires.

"Once your tires spin, you've lost control over the vehicle," Balfe said.

The cold temperatures this week have had more than a few customers visiting the Andrew Chevrolet Service Center. Instead of the normal 54, there were 72 on Tuesday!

CLICK HERE to view instructions on how to jump start a car (Credit: Allstate Insurance)