Cold Wave Car Care... Battery, Fuel Filter, and Antifreeze Checks Are Essential

Due to the Arctic cold wave, the lowest temperature in Seoul dropped to minus 16 degrees Celsius, prompting a cold wave warning. On the 7th, vehicles were moving slowly like turtles on the roads of Yeouido, Seoul, due to the heavy snowfall overnight. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The nationwide cold wave has put car maintenance on high alert. Experts advise that during winter, special caution is required more than any other season, as not only vehicle issues but also road conditions become critical.

According to the Automobile Citizens' Union on the 9th, the most common malfunction during cold waves is engine starting failure. Besides the battery, diesel vehicle fuel filter malfunctions and antifreeze freezing are common winter breakdown parts.

In particular, batteries perform best at around 20 degrees Celsius, but when the temperature drops to minus 20 degrees Celsius, their performance can plummet by 20 to 50% depending on their chemical state. This explains why vehicles that usually start well may fail to start during a cold wave.

For diesel vehicles, it is important to check for condensation in the fuel tank and inspect the fuel filter, and to fill the tank as much as possible. The paraffin components in the fuel solidify and increase viscosity, causing various foreign substances that are not properly filtered through the fuel filter to clump together. This can cause starting failures due to increased suction resistance in the filter.

The biggest hazard on winter roads is black ice. Especially on mountain curves, roads above and below overpasses, points where tunnels end on bridges, coastal roads, near reservoirs, and cut slopes, temperatures are about 5 degrees lower, resulting in many frozen roads.

Also, roads with snow over thin ice are among the most dangerous. When a car skids (the phenomenon where the car slides sideways during braking), it can cause not only crossing the center line but also side collisions. Therefore, sudden braking, rapid acceleration, abrupt steering, and speeding are dangerous.

If tires slip on snowy roads, turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid to prevent spinning. Snow tires are effective but their performance is reduced on frozen surfaces. Maintaining a safe distance and following the tracks left by the vehicle ahead is safest. On snowy roads, use the brakes gently and repeatedly move forward and backward if the tires spin on light snow to create tracks; using floor mats or sand can also help.

Chains should only be used on snowy roads, and driving over 30 to 40 km/h can damage the chains, wheel houses, or the vehicle body. Therefore, chains must be removed on roads where snow has melted.

It is dangerous to drive as usual on roads treated with calcium chloride. Due to supply shortages and cost, most calcium chloride used for snow removal is industrial grade rather than for deicing. Because it dissolves slowly, it acts like coarse sand, causing slippery conditions similar to snow when sudden braking is applied on roads where snow has melted.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.