A simple snow mistake you are making could cost you hundreds in repairs
(CBS DETROIT) - No matter what mechanic shop you go to, almost all of them are flooded with phone calls. At Pioneer Auto Care in Westland, Jerry Anderson is the man who answers all of them.
"We're getting a lot of calls for batteries that have died, cars that won't start, cooling systems that are not working right, the heating systems not working right in cars. This happens every year with the cold weather," Anderson says.
It is weather that has car technician Travis Showenburg connecting and testing car batteries all day long. And while almost every car station begins with an auto jump starter, the problems don't necessarily end there.
"There's a lot of battery drainage, alternators, and your tire pressure could get low. If you don't take care of it and your ride on it with low tire pressure, you could possibly do more damage," Showenburg says.
Avoiding a dead battery is almost a problem that is out of a driver's control, especially in sub-zero temperatures. However, one common mistake that most drivers Showeburg says are making is failing to clear out the wheel wells of vehicles before driving on the road.
"You want to make sure you get a lot of the ice and everything because it will build up in your wheel wells. It can cause you to lose control at times and can cause an accident. I would get in your car, turn it on, turn it one way, and get as much as the ice and build as you can. Turn it the other, get as much as you can too because it will run on your tires and cause you vibration and possibly an accident," Showenburg says.
Accidents that Showenburg says are waiting to happen which is why cleaning vehicles inside and out of snow could potentially save drivers hundreds of dollars.
At this time, Pioneer Auto Care and Collision in Westland says it is offering free battery tests prior to any repairs with only a 30-minute wait upon walk-in.