How to Store Your Vehicle Indoors for Winter
Storing your vehicle indoors for the cold season can be the best thing for it. By shielding it from the harsh wear and tear of the winter roads, you’ll help it live longer — that is, as long as you take the right steps for safe and proper storage. Simply throwing your car in the garage and placing it at the back of your mind for a few months can, in the end, be even more harmful than just driving it through the season. So, take a look at these tips on how to properly store your vehicle inside to keep it looking and feeling healthy till spring.
Fill Your Tank
It may seem crazy to spend the money on a full tank of gas when you won’t be driving for a few months, but this can save you a lot of time and money in the long run. If you don’t fill your tank, condensation can build up and damage your tank by causing significant corrosion throughout the colder months. Once your tank is full, you’ll also want to add a fuel stabilizer to prevent the fuel from deteriorating, which causes oxidation and deposits to form that could wreck your fuel system.
Change Your Oil and Filter
Next, change your oil and filter to keep your engine lubricated and operating smoothly. You wouldn’t want it to sit with a dirty, old filter and oil — this can cause great damage over time. Once you’re done, take the car for one last ride to circulate the new fluids.
Top Off Your Coolant
Check the coolant level in your vehicle and top it off if needed. This will help to prevent corrosion and maintain an even temperature within the system.
Disconnect Your Car Battery
When a car battery loses its charge, it can freeze and may crack, which will render it useless even if it’s later unfrozen. Remove your car battery from the vehicle and store it in a heated space — the home you’ll be living in during winter is the best place as it will presumably be heated all season. The battery should then be good to go when it’s hooked back up in the spring. Keep in mind that if the car is newer and has engine computers, removing its battery is not recommended and you should look into a Trickle Charger or Battery Tender instead.
Wash the Exterior
Give your car a good wash to remove any dirt and grime that could cause corrosion over time. Use quality cleaning and detailing solutions to ensure your car remains in good condition, or maybe even turns out better than before you cleaned it. Make sure everything is dry before covering your car for the season.
Clean the Interior
A gross vehicle left to sit for months on end just gets grosser and smellier over time. Plus, even if your interior isn’t "gross," giving it a good clean will help you get ahead and treat yourself to a squeaky-clean car at the beginning of next season. Start by vacuuming the seats and footwells, and then spray it down with a good interior detailer. If you have leather seats, maybe even treat them to a quality leather conditioner to help remove even the toughest unseen dirt and grime.
Invest in a Quality Car Cover
Leaving your car uncovered all winter exposes your exterior to settling sediment, moisture, dust, scratches and any other damages that can happen in your garage. Investing in a premium, high-quality car cover will do wonders for protecting your vehicle. Check out WeatherTech’s Form-Fit Indoor Car Covers for a custom fit to your car’s make and model to provide complete coverage from the elements.
Remember to Start It
While it can be a controversial topic, many believe it’s beneficial to start your car every so often throughout storage to get things moving and lubricate your engine. Some think this might not affect the health of the vehicle, but we say, better safe than sorry. If you choose to do this, always let it warm up to its operating temperature to cycle fresh oil through the engine. Lastly, be sure to double check that the cover is completely off, and the garage door is open for the health and safety of you and your vehicle.
