Duckworth Select: Free Winter Health Check

- Battery

- Anti-freeze

- Wipers and chips in screen

- Exterior lights

- Oil level

- Tyres and pressure and tread depths

Cold, wet and icy roads lead to less grip and a longer stopping distance during the colder moths, Legally, the minimum tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm, however, its recommended that anything above 3mm will help drivers maintain a safe stopping distance throughout the colder months.

We would always recommend a road worth spare tire too! In the winter, the more faults, the longer you could be waiting for your replacement. 

Battery faults are the number one most common reported cause of winter breakdowns (Mercedes) with them having far less power available while cold. This is most common with batteries over 5 years old, however we will check all batteries to ensure they are at full strength.

The cold weather can have such an impact on older batteries they can lose up to a third of their total power when temperatures drop below 0.

The level should be within the minimum and maximum marks on the coolant tank. The coolant should be a 50/50 of water and antifreeze, but this can dilute over time. A common mistake, is that people often just yse water when topping this up, diluting the anti-freeze in the tank. Regular servicing or winter health checks will ensure the balance is correct and prevent things such as engine freeze in the winter. 

As well as keeping your windscreen clean during the winter is important. It's also a great opportunity to spot any chips or cracks in your windscreen, which are prone to freeze thawing in the winter, making them grown faster than in other months. When checking your wipers, run your fingers across your windscreen to feel any potential issues before they evolve into more serious ones.

A winter health check will test to make sure that your headlights, brake lights, tail lights, indicators and reverse lights are all in working order and if they're not, then replacement bulbs can be fitted. We also recommend, particularly through the winter period, you clean these regularly as it's important to stay seen on the road. 

Your oil needs to be checked during the winter months when a car is already warm. We are all aware of the dangers to engine from low or high oil levels, which can often lead to breakdowns, but a cold car will look lower on oil. A winter health check will make sure your oil level is safe.