Check those wires and cables

Now that your car has made it through winter without much trouble, it’s time to take a look at all the wires and cables under the hood. Obviously, Canadian winters expose these parts to a harsh environment, and rust and corrosion could show up in spring and cause a real nightmare for the upcoming season.

The most important cables to be checked are those connected to the battery. If you were lucky, you had no problem starting your vehicle last winter. But as the warmer weather comes around, you might encounter starting difficulties.

This can be blamed on faulty wires.

A battery is as likely to go dead in summer as in winter.

In some cases, cold temperatures will actually keep the battery’s power intact (as when you store smaller batteries in a freezer so they won’t lose their power). But very warm weather can also drain the battery’s power. And corroded wires and connections (even very slightly corroded) could cause difficulties in starting a vehicle.

Therefore, have all your wires and cables checked by a competent mechanic in the spring. While faulty cables will make starting difficult, corroded wires can also cause electrical problems within the car…even worse, fire! If any of them show any kind of weakness or damage, have them changed and have the whole electrical and charging system checked by a specialist. This advice could prevent embarrassing, if not major problems in summer, especially if your vehicle is a little older!