Driving in Calgary, especially during the winter months, presents a unique set of challenges for vehicle owners. From the biting cold affecting your car's battery, to icy roads putting a strain on the brake system, the city's weather can exacerbate common car problems.
In this guide, we'll explore the top car problems faced by Calgary drivers, such as transmission system troubles, electrical malfunctions, and thickened oil, and provide practical tips to fix them. Whether it's maintaining your steering wheel's alignment or ensuring your transmission fluid is at the right level, our service centre has got you covered.
At a Glance:
- Calgary's cold weather can give your car a tough time with issues like dead batteries and thickened oil. Keeping up with maintenance and opting for low-viscosity oil can help keep things running smoothly.
- It's important to keep an ear out for any odd noises from your brakes or transmission system during winter. Addressing these early can save you from expensive repairs down the road.
- Make sure your tires are properly inflated and your cooling and exhaust systems are in top shape to avoid any winter-related hiccups.
- Cold weather can make electrical and fuel system problems worse, so regular check-ups and timely fixes are key to keeping your car reliable.
- Taking a proactive approach to car care—like maintaining your battery and using winter-ready gear—ensures your safety and extends your vehicle's life during Calgary's chilly months.
Starter Motor Issues
Even the best Ford trucks can still fall prey to Calgary's winter. In the harsh conditions of the colder months, low temperatures can put a significant strain on the starter motor, causing it to perform sluggishly or even fail. Nothing says "good morning Calgary" like the familiar chug-chug-chugging of an engine slowly turning over, after all.
Using an engine block heater is a practical solution to help maintain optimal temperatures for the starter motor, reducing the risk of freezing in extreme cold. Conducting pre-winter maintenance checks on the starter motor can identify potential issues that could be exacerbated by Calgary's cold weather, ensuring your vehicle remains reliable throughout the winter.
Dead Battery
Keeping a set of jumper cables in your car is a good way to ensure that you're covered even if your battery dies on the road (provided you've got someone to lend a helping hand).
A dead battery is a common headache for drivers in Calgary during the winter months. The cold weather can significantly reduce a car’s battery capacity—at 0°C, it may lose about 35% of its power, escalating to 60% at -30°C, which are temperatures not uncommon in Calgary's winter. This drastic reduction makes it challenging to start the engine, especially if the vehicle isn’t driven frequently due to the harsh weather conditions. Regular battery inspections help detect issues like corrosion, which can impede performance.
For those not driving their cars frequently, a battery maintainer from our parts department can be quite useful. Frequent short trips, especially around the downtown core, can prevent the battery from charging fully, so longer drives allow the alternator to recharge it effectively. Additionally, investing in a battery designed for cold climates can enhance reliability and longevity during harsh winters.
Keeping battery connections clean and tight is also important. Corrosion can be a silent killer, so keeping those terminals free of buildup is essential. On particularly cold Calgary nights, a battery warmer can prevent freezing issues. Parking in a (preferably attached) garage can help maintain the battery’s temperature, improving its performance in Calgary's cold weather.
Remember, taking care of your battery now can save you from the dreaded click-click of a dead starter motor.
Thickened Car Oil in Cold Weather
Calgary's cold weather is notorious for thickening car oil, making it challenging for the oil pump to circulate it through the engine. This increased viscosity can strain your vehicle's battery and other electrical components, worsening the issue, especially during Calgary's harsh winter months.
To combat this, using low-viscosity oil is highly recommended for if you're parking on the street, particularly in colder areas like Nose Hill. Multi-viscosity oils perform well across varying temperatures, ensuring smoother engine operation even in the coldest conditions. Additionally, changing to fresh oil before the winter sets in can prevent thickening due to contaminants in older oil. This simple maintenance step can significantly improve how your car handles the cold weather, ensuring you stay safe on the roads during the winter months.
Brake Problems
Given Calgary's often icy roads and famously considerate drivers, a working set of breaks is a crucial part of staying safe while driving.
Brake issues are not something Calgary drivers can afford to ignore, especially with the icy roads common in the winter months. Signs that your brake system might be in trouble include high-pitched squeaks, often indicating worn brake pads, and grinding noises which suggest excessively worn pads. If you experience a soft or spongy brake pedal, it could point to hydraulic issues that need immediate attention.
Reduced braking power can result from worn brake pads, brake fade due to overheating, or low brake fluid levels, all of which compromise your vehicle's performance in snow areas like Signal Hill or Edgemont. Regular brake maintenance is crucial to prevent severe damage and costly repairs.
You might also notice your vehicle pulling to one side when braking or experience vibrations in the steering wheel. These are signs of more severe issues, such as a stuck brake caliper or worn-out parts, requiring immediate attention to ensure the safety of you and your family. In Calgary's winter conditions, maintaining your brake system is essential for safe driving.
Transmission System Issues
A difficult gear switch is the last thing you want to be thinking about when navigating the city's winter roads.
Transmission problems can be a nightmare, especially in the middle of Calgary's winter. Difficulty shifting gears, slipping gears, and grinding noises are some of the common signs of a malfunctioning transmission system. Low transmission fluid levels can cause these issues, compromising lubrication and leading to increased friction.
Regularly having your transmission fluids checked at Universal Ford's service centre is key to maintaining your transmission's effectiveness. Fluid leaks are another red flag; if not addressed, they can lead to shifting difficulties and even total transmission failure.
Steering and Suspension Difficulties
Steering and suspension issues can make winter driving in Calgary even more challenging. Symptoms like excessive vibrations, uneven tire wear, and difficulty steering are common indicators that something is amiss. Vibrations in the steering wheel can be particularly unsettling, often caused by tire imbalance, which becomes noticeable at speeds exceeding 80 km/h.
In Calgary's cold weather, suspension issues, such as worn ball joints or loose tie rods, can lead to vibrations and affect vehicle handling. Axle complications, frequently found in front-wheel drive vehicles, can also cause steering vibrations. Regular maintenance and inspections are crucial to resolve issues before they escalate, ensuring safety on icy roads.
Wheel misalignment, often caused by hitting potholes common in Calgary's downtown core, can lead to uneven tire wear and cause the vehicle to pull to one side. Flat-spotted tires due to hard braking on icy surfaces can cause noticeable vibrations, especially at high speeds. Proper wheel alignment and maintaining tire condition are essential for safe winter driving in Calgary's snowy conditions.
Black Ice and Snow Drifts
Even the cleanest-looking roads can pose a threat to drivers in the winter.
Winter driving in Calgary comes with its own unique set of challenges, particularly black ice and snow drifts. Black ice is a thin, nearly invisible layer of ice that can form unexpectedly on road surfaces, making it extremely hazardous for drivers. This can develop when there’s rain, melting snow, or sleet followed by freezing temperatures.
Lower speeds increase reaction time when encountering black ice or snow drifts. Our service techs often recommend gentle braking on icy roads to our test drive customers to prevent traction loss and maintain vehicle control.
Another common sighting on a Calgary commute is snow drifts, often caused by predominant winds and a lack of trees and bushes, which can create obstacles on roads that may be mistaken for solid objects, leading to dangerous collisions.
Cooling System Failures
Cooling system failures can pose significant challenges for Calgary drivers during the winter months. In Calgary's harsh climate, common causes of these failures include coolant leaks, radiator issues, or a malfunctioning thermostat. Worn hoses, a faulty water pump, and a damaged radiator are typical sources of coolant leaks that can be exacerbated by the cold weather.
Implementing a preventive maintenance schedule is crucial for avoiding cooling system issues in Calgary. Regular inspections can help detect coolant leaks, often indicated by bright green puddles under the car, which can be more noticeable on icy Calgary streets. Bleeding the coolant system after service is essential to remove air pockets that could lead to overheating, especially during the city's cold snaps.
Using coolant with anti-corrosive properties and ensuring the proper coolant-water mixture are vital steps to mitigate corrosion and guarantee effective cooling. Flushing the cooling system at recommended intervals helps eliminate sediment and debris that can obstruct coolant flow, ensuring your vehicle remains reliable even in Calgary's coldest conditions.
Fuel System Malfunctions
The fuel system is a critical component for Calgary drivers, ensuring that fuel efficiently travels from the tank to the engine for combustion, even in the coldest winter months. A malfunctioning fuel system can lead to poor fuel efficiency, engine misfires, or difficulties starting your vehicle—issues that can be exacerbated by Calgary's harsh winter conditions. Clogged fuel injectors may cause rough idling and engine misfires, severely affecting your vehicle’s performance, especially when navigating icy roads.
To keep your fuel system running smoothly throughout Calgary's winter, regular cleanings and timely filter replacements are essential. Opting for high-quality fuel can prevent contamination and deposits within the fuel system, which is particularly important during the winter months. Maintaining your fuel system ensures your vehicle remains reliable, allowing you to explore the downtown core or venture out to the mountains without worry.
Exhaust System Concerns
A noisy, stinky engine isn't just a headache for you, but also everyone within your vicinity.
Exhaust system concerns are quite common, especially for Calgary drivers navigating the city's winter months. Leaks, rust, or a malfunctioning catalytic converter are typical issues. If your exhaust emits a rotten egg smell, it could indicate a failed catalytic converter, which should be converting sulfur into odorless sulfur dioxide.
Trouble with the exhaust system can lead to reduced fuel efficiency and a noisy engine. Vibrations might also signal exhaust issues, such as a loose hanger or bracket that holds the exhaust pipes against the vehicle's underside, especially noticeable on Calgary's often uneven winter roads.
Electrical System Malfunctions
For Calgary drivers, electrical system malfunctions often arise due to worn-out wiring, faulty connections, or component failures. The harsh winter months can exacerbate these issues, with loose or corroded connections disrupting electrical flow and causing intermittent failures in electronic components. Electrical overloads, often stemming from malfunctioning components, are a frequent cause of blown fuses in a vehicle's electrical system.
Regular diagnostic checks are crucial for identifying potential electrical issues before they escalate into significant problems, especially during Calgary's infamous -30°C lows. Moisture and corrosion, common in the winter months, can compromise electrical connections, increasing resistance and the likelihood of system failures. Addressing electrical component failures promptly is essential to prevent unexpected malfunctions that could leave you stranded in Calgary's frigid conditions.
Tire Pressure in Calgary's Fluctuating Winter Temperatures
A winter tire's effectiveness in keeping traction on winter roads is dependent largely on how well you take care of it during the winter months.
Switching to winter tires doesn't necessarily mark the end of your winter-driving-woes. In winter months, tire pressure tends to decrease by 1-2 PSI for every 10°C drop in temperature. This makes regular checks crucial for drivers navigating the city's icy roads. Even if your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system, it's advisable for Calgary drivers to manually check tire pressure every two weeks during these colder months.
For accurate readings, check tire pressure in the morning when the tires are cold. Using a quality gauge is essential for precise measurements, which helps maintain safety and performance on Calgary's snowy streets. Keeping your tires properly inflated ensures better traction and handling, which is vital for safe driving in Calgary's challenging winter conditions.
Visit Universal Ford for All Your Maintenance Needs
Winter presents unique challenges for Calgary drivers, but with the right maintenance and proactive steps, you can keep your vehicle running like a dream. From ensuring your battery is in peak condition to using the right oil and keeping your tires properly inflated, these measures can make all the difference.
Taking care of your car not only boosts your safety but also extends its lifespan. Stay ahead of winter troubles by following these tips for a smoother driving experience. Remember, a well-maintained car is a happy car! For top-notch service and regular maintenance, visit Universal Ford's service centre or check out our service specials today, and let our experts help you navigate Calgary's winter months with confidence.
