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Baby, It’s Cold Outside: Prepare Your Car for Winter

winter driving in snow scaled jpg Cars.com photo illustration by Paul Dolan |

Ready or not, winter is hitting the country hard with all of the charm of a cold, wet blanket. Much of the nation is under cold and snow warnings, which impacts driving and car maintenance.

Related: If You’re Cold, They’re Cold: Car Care Tips for the Extreme Cold

From dead batteries to getting stuck in the snow to breaking down in the middle of nowhere amid subzero mercury readings, winter weather throws some chilling challenges at motorists — and we know you have questions.

Do you need to warm up your car in winter? What happens to my electric vehicle’s battery in cold temps? Why do windows fog up? Do I steer into a skid on an ice patch? We have answers to all your burning (or freezing) questions with our flurry of stories below.

Driving

How to Free Your Car From a Snowbank or Ice Patch

How to Survive Winter With Rear-Wheel Drive

Tips for Starting Your Car in Subzero Weather

Should You Warm Up Your Car in the Winter?

How Well Do Electric Cars Work in Cold Weather?

Pickup Trucks 101: A Guide to Snow Plows

Owning

How to Safely Remove Snow and Ice From Your Car

How to Remove Salt Stains From Your Floor Mats

Be Prepared for the Worst With a Car Emergency Kit

Why Do My Tires Lose Pressure in Cold Weather?

Tips for Washing Your Car in the Winter

Why Do My Car’s Windows Fog Up?

Your Guide to EV Batteries: Premature Death, Range Loss and Preservation

Shopping

Winter Is Coming: 7 Great Cars for Snow Driving

Do You Need an All-Wheel-Drive Minivan?

Which Convertibles Offer AWD or 4WD?

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Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.

News Editor
Jennifer Geiger

News Editor Jennifer Geiger joined the automotive industry in 2003, much to the delight of her Corvette-obsessed dad. Jennifer is an expert reviewer, certified car-seat technician and mom of three. She wears a lot of hats — many of them while driving a minivan.

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