January and February are the key months for holidays in montagna. Checking the car before setting off is essential for everyone's safety. Within this article we will see the checks to be done in great detail.

• Tire check
• Liquid control
• Battery check
• Checking the windshield and wipers
• Checking the brakes

Tire check

As we all know, the tire plays a fundamental role in our safety and that of others. The car remains glued to the asphalt thanks to a performance tire.

Therefore, having deflated or low quality tires is a great risk. In fact, we can lose grip in the worst case scenario. Otherwise it can simply often be the situation of a loss of traction. However, this aspect is negligible compared to a lack of grip of the car when cornering and therefore a road exit.

If we are about to tackle an icy or snowy road, the health of the tires is fundamental.

It is unthinkable to go to the mountains using only summer tires. The current temperatures of the ski resorts are below freezing during the night especially. For this reason, installing winter tires is essential. In fact, the winter tire is characterized by greater grip at low temperatures. Thanks to a soft compound it is able to adapt and have more control than a summer. By making more grip, road safety is significantly higher.

This is why we have to go to a tire dealer to check the tires and replace them if necessary. Although we have winter tires already fitted, the advice is to check his health.

In fact, let us remember that the tires must be constantly checked and overhauled in order not to let them harden excessively. A hard tire is synonymous with poor grip and therefore risk for everyone.

Always from a tire dealer or even simply from a petrol station, remember to inflate the tires to the correct pressure. We check in the instruction booklet the pressure that must be used, without introducing too much pressure or too little. In this way, our safety and that of other people will be absolutely guaranteed.

In the event that we do not have the economic means to buy winter tires, the advice is clearly to buy snow chains. The latter are also recommended by those who have winter tires, in extreme cases. Sometimes winter tires struggle to have traction on a lot of snow and chains have better handling altogether.

Let us remember that each tire must have its own chain in terms of size. In fact, there is no single snow chain as they adapt perfectly to the size of the tire.

Liquid control

The first liquid is clearly the engine oil which allows correct lubrication of all the movements of the motor. Through the indicator on the oil dipstick, we will have a perfect view of the level. The latter must be neither above the maximum nor below the minimum. In fact, this situation must be carefully monitored in order not to have a shortage of oil or an excess of oil. Excess oil is however a problematic aspect to manage for the engine that must be absolutely avoided.

After checking the oil, we carry out a check of the antifreeze liquid. We avoid using water as temperatures drop by going to the mountains and there is a risk of freezing. At any supermarket we can easily find good quality antifreeze liquids that we can refill ourselves. The higher the quality of the antifreeze liquid, the higher the temperatures the machine can encounter in negative terms.

As a last fundamental aspect we also have the brake fluid. After a comparison with the maintenance booklet we check that it is at the right height. Very often in the mountains we encounter braking and this is an important aspect to consider. The brake fluid guarantees us perfect functionality of our brakes.

Battery check

Another fundamental aspect is clearly the control of the battery. The battery has a duration of about 4 or 5 years but the advice is to take a reading with the voltmeter. In this way we will be able to observe how much force the battery has inside its box.

Cars at low temperatures undergo thermal stress. It is no coincidence that electric cars are more prone to lose autonomy at low temperatures. So let's go to a trusted mechanic who will connect this tool to the battery for a quick reading.

If we want to be absolutely sure of everything, we also buy a battery charger. Its price is around 150-200 euros and allows us to have a booster in case of battery shortage.

Checking the windshield and wipers

The penultimate aspect to consider in a complete analysis is clearly the windscreen and wipers.

If we have had a small damage to the windshield we try to fix it quickly. Being in low temperatures, like the road surface in the mountains, can lead to extra stresses on the front glass. Any small cracks can increase in size and thus create large fractures. A small fracture can be repaired while a large fracture can lead to crystal replacement.

Therefore, if a small fracture can be repaired with a few tens of euros, the replacement of the crystal can cost even thousands of euros.

In the same way, visibility is essential and therefore let's make sure that the wiper blades are perfectly suitable for cleaning the glass. Their cost is a few tens of euros and they allow us to have optimal visibility.

Checking the brakes

The last aspect is certainly the most important one probably. With many bends and braking, the braking system is very stressed in the mountains. In fact, we will notice that the brakes can experience whistles during use. This aspect should not cause us to worry too much as excessive overheating of the braking system can give rise to whistles, however not too dramatic in importance.

Before leaving for a holiday, we carry out a check of the brake discs and pads. We listen carefully to the advice of the mechanic and the possible need to replace the pads and brakes. Pads are certainly cheaper mechanical bodies to replace than brake discs. The latter are more expensive but are usually replaced less.

The risk in this case is not to brake properly and to find ourselves in dangerous situations. If the car does not brake, we could run into management problems when cornering or even straight. Given the road surface that can be bumpy or with snow, optimal use of the brakes is a fundamental aspect.

That is why the brakes must be the object of most attention before taking a holiday in the mountains. The advice is to go to a mechanic and not to change the pads or discs in do-it-yourself mode. This aspect can be done for the wiper blades or even the coolant but not for the brake discs. In fact, the complexity is almost always high and this can lead to very serious consequences for the car. If in fact the wiper blades can be replaced with a simple click, changing the brake pad is a complicated aspect. Just a small mistake is enough to find yourself in a situation of danger for your own safety and that of others.