How-to Winterize Your Wheelchair Van

When it’s warm outside, chances are you spend a lot of time driving your wheelchair van. There’s errands, people to visit, places to go, and it’s easy to travel from point A to point B.

And, with all that running around, it’s easy to forget to perform regular maintenance on your vehicle. Which is why it can be much simpler to perform seasonal maintenance.

But, when it comes to the winter weather, especially if you’re in an area where it snows, you might not go out as often, or even at all. And, if that’s the case, you’ll want to winterize your van as soon as the weather gets cold enough for snow.

Why Winterize Your Van?

Climate changes affect your vehicles more than you might think they do. The cold weather can be damaging to your vehicle’s fluids, its tires, and even your car’s battery.

But, with proper winterization of your van, you can avoid many of these damaging effects. Here’s a few tips for how-to winterize your wheelchair van:

Tip #1: Change the Fluids
Engine oil and coolant can be temperature sensitive, especially if you live in an area that gets below zero temperatures. Changing the oil to a thinner version and the coolant to a winter-grade version for the winter months, will help keep your engine running in a proper condition for the temperatures.

Tip #2: Battery Capacity
Cold weather reduces the capacity of your car’s battery, which can cause your vehicle to have difficulty starting when it’s colder outside. Running a full battery inspection prior to the winter months will help make sure your battery is in tip-top shape.

Additionally, you can hook up a battery tender when your vehicle is not in use, especially when it’s not being used for long periods of time, to keep your battery charged and ready to start when needed.

Tip #3: Snow Tires
Snow tires can be a life-saving change you make to your vehicle for the winter months. Snow tires stay softer during cooler temperatures (especially those below zero) and stick to the road easier. All-season tires, while they can be a good deal, stay harder during colder temperatures and don’t stick to the road as easily.

Are there any additional winter-weather maintenance items that make your checklist? What other tips do you have for year-round van drivers to keep their van in perfect running order during the winter months? Comment below to join the conversation!

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