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7 winter car mistakes almost everyone makes
Australian winters might not look dramatic, but they do a quiet number on your car. Temperatures drop overnight, moisture builds up, tyres lose pressure, and batteries that have been borderline for months finally give up the ghost at 7am on a Tuesday. These are the winter car mistakes most people make without realising, and what to do instead.
1. Driving off before the windscreen is properly demisted
The urge to get moving is understandable. Standing in the cold while your car slowly clears is not a fun way to start the morning. But driving with a fogged or frosted windscreen is one of the most common winter car mistakes for a reason: it seems fine until it isn't.
The fix is simple. Crank the defrost setting, not just the heater. Your air conditioning compressor helps remove moisture from the air, which clears the screen faster than heat alone. If your car has a rear demister button, use it. Give it two or three minutes. The inconvenience is nothing compared to what a fogged-up windscreen can cause on a wet, cold road.
2. Ignoring tyre pressure
Most people know tyre pressure matters. What most people overlook is that cold air contracts, which means tyre pressure drops as temperatures fall. For roughly every 10 degrees Celsius of temperature drop, tyres lose 1 to 2 PSI. Across a set of four tyres, that adds up to noticeably underinflated rubber by mid-winter.
Underinflated tyres affect handling, increase braking distances, and wear unevenly. It doesn't matter whether you're driving a used Ford or a European SUV. Cold air affects tyre pressure all the same. Checking all four tyres takes about three minutes at any petrol station. Do it at the start of winter, and again after any prolonged cold snap.
3. Leaving the washer fluid empty (or using plain water)
The washer reservoir is easy to ignore until you desperately need it. That moment usually arrives on a wet motorway when a truck covers your windscreen in grime and you hit the stalk to find nothing happens.
Worse than an empty reservoir is one filled with plain water. It goes stagnant, doesn't clean properly, and in colder climates can freeze overnight in the lines. Use a proper washer fluid concentrate. It mixes with water, cuts through road film and insect residue, and costs next to nothing at any service station or auto shop.
