Winter car maintenance checklist

Driving in winter can be hazardous, with cold, wet weather placing extra demands on your vehicle. So, it’s helpful to spend some time getting your car ready.

If you're unsure how to do that, use our handy winter car maintenance checklist to help keep yourself safe in rain, ice, frost and snow.

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Make sure you always have enough screen wash in your car, as not only it is dangerous to have an empty screen wash bottle, but you could also face a fine and three penalty points for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.¹

1. Test your car battery

Top of our winter car maintenance checklist is your battery. A flat or faulty battery is the number one cause of vehicle breakdowns, according to both the RAC² and Green Flag.³ The risk of battery failure is greater in cold, wet and icy weather.

Warning signs of battery failure include:

• The engine turning over more slowly than usual when you start
• The red battery light on your dashboard flickering when you’re driving
• The red battery light taking longer than usual to go out after you’ve started the engine

If your battery is dead or flat, you can try jump-starting it before going to the expense of a complete replacement. Read our tips on how to jump-start your car.

As a rule of thumb, replace your car battery every three years, or sooner if it’s causing problems in cold weather.

2. Don’t ignore dashboard warning lights

Research⁴ has revealed that as many as 96% of drivers cannot accurately identify the meaning of all their dashboard warning lights or signs. Close to a third of drivers who ignored dashboard warnings have gone on to experience a breakdown, accident or damage to their car.

So, before winter closes in, take some time to understand what your car’s warning lights mean. You can find this information in your vehicle’s manual. And, if an alert appears on your dashboard, get it checked out as soon as possible.

How well do you know the warning lights in your vehicle? Test your knowledge with our warning light quiz.

3. Check your oil and fuel levels

Your vehicle’s oil level should be between the minimum and maximum marks on the dipstick, or you risk engine damage and breakdown. In fact, RAC patrols report that 1 in 3 vehicles they attend are running dangerously low on oil.

Get your car ready for winter by checking the oil level when your vehicle is fully warmed up, as a cold car will look low on oil. But remember, too much oil can be dangerous, too.

Cars now usually have an oil change indicator on the dashboard, so when the ‘check oil’ or ‘change oil’ light appears, this is a clear signal that you need to change the oil. However, there are other signs you need to change the oil, and these include:

• Dark and dirty oil 
• Engine noise
• Oil smell inside the car.

Find out how to change oil in a car.

4. Keep your lights and number plate clean

Local authorities commonly use rock salt on roads to melt ice during the winter,⁵ but build-up can scratch the plastic lens of headlights and paintwork, while gravel and debris kicked up from icy roads can also cause damage.⁶

A good clean is an important part of your winter car maintenance. If your car doesn’t have headlamp washers, you can wipe them over with a cloth. And while you’re wiping, don’t forget your number plate. You could face a fine if your vehicle reg is unreadable.

Check this out: How to stay safe driving on icy roads.

5. Check your brakes

Another essential for your winter car maintenance is your brakes.

Your brakes need to be in tip-top condition, especially in winter. Get them checked if they squeal, make other noises or generate unusual sensations.

If you’re taking your car out after a few days left unused in the cold, set off gently in case the discs, callipers or handbrake have frozen up. 

For even the most experienced motorists, extra care is needed in winter, so read our 9 tips for driving in frosty conditions.

6. Assess your tyres

Worn tyres are dangerous at any time, but especially in winter, when safe stopping distances significantly increase in icy, snowy or wet conditions.

By law, tyres need a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm,⁷ but experts recommend you change your tyres at 3mm to maintain safe stopping distances. Don’t forget to check you have a roadworthy spare in your vehicle too.

If you drive on rural or uneven roads, you may want to invest in snow chains/socks or winter tyres designed for cold, icy or snowy conditions. Remember to check the tyre pressure, as it can drop in wintry weather.

7. Check wiper blades and windscreen wash

Before driving in winter, check that your wipers are in good condition, with no holes or tears, and you can clean your windscreen properly. This government guidance says vehicles mandated to have windscreen wipers must also have windscreen washer.

You can give wipers a wipe with a clean cloth now and then. However, don’t pull the wiper blades off frozen glass or turn them on if your windscreen is iced over, as the rubber may tear.

You may need to wash your windscreen more often in winter, as wet, muddy, or salty roads increase the amount of spray hitting it. Make sure you use a winter-grade washer fluid that won’t freeze in low temperatures.

8. Top up your antifreeze

Another critical factor to consider when getting your car ready for winter is antifreeze, which, as its name suggests, prevents the water in the engine’s cooling system from freezing. Make sure yours is topped up.

Remember, engine coolant typically needs to be changed every two years or 30,000 miles (whichever comes sooner) for silicate coolants. It’s five years or 100,000 miles for coolants designed with specially extended drain intervals.

Don’t miss: Is it illegal to leave my engine running in cold weather?

9. Keep up with your servicing

Like many of these tips, vehicle servicing is essential year-round, but winter conditions make it that bit more important.

Manufacturers usually recommend a service every 12,000 miles or every 12 months, whichever comes sooner. But every car is different, so check your owner’s handbook for the recommended service schedule. In some areas, it can take a couple of weeks for the garage to fit you in, so look ahead and book in good time to get your car winter-ready.

Find out more: What’s a car service, and do I need one?

10. Carry the right gear for winter

No one likes breaking down but keeping a few essentials in your car in winter can make sure you’re as comfortable and prepared as possible should bad luck strike.

Pack an emergency kit that includes:

• Ice scraper and de-icer
• Warning triangle
• Warm clothing and a blanket, rug or sleeping bag
• Practical footwear like wellies
• Torch and batteries
• Mobile phone and charger/power bank
• First aid kit
• Shovel (in snowy conditions)
• High-energy snacks

Find out more about our Ageas car insurance. 

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_{1 https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-safe
2 https://www.rac.co.uk/business/news-advice/news/flat-or-not-battery-issues-are-our-number-one-call-out
3 https://www.greenflag.com/advice/maintenance/avoid-winter-breakdowns
4 https://blog.greenflag.com/2025/do-you-know-your-dashboard-warning-signs/
5 https://www.local.gov.uk/your-winter-weather-questions-answered-0
6 https://carrust.co.uk/road-salt-car-damage/
7 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/annex-6-vehicle-maintenance-safety-and-security#:~:text=Tyres.,band%20around%20the%20entire%20circumference}