It’s September. McHenry schools are open but it’s still summer. We have plenty of time before winter sets in and you need to have your car, truck or SUV ready for the season of cold, ice and snow, right?

Yes, we still have the apple-picking season, Halloween and Thanksgiving as road markers to countdown to another McHenry winter. Officially, it’s more than three months away – a quarter of the year. But, of course, winter may make an early appearance as far as weather conditions.

In fact, the winter of 2022-23 could make a distinctly unpleasant early arrival, well before the official start of winter Dec. 21. We can get snow in October. And if there’s snow, there’s cold, at least enough cold to turn raindrops to snowflakes.

This isn’t to say that you need to rush right out and have your vehicle winterized. But you might want to start thinking about it. When will you have the work done to prepare your car, truck or SUV for the blustery season ahead?

Winter is unforgiving. The cold doesn’t care if your car is ready or not. It and the snow can blanket the area in a frosty image that looks better than it feels. It can pry loose any weaknesses in the condition of your vehicle. 

If your antifreeze isn’t up to snuff, a cold spell could cause damage to your engine and/or engine components.

If sleet and snow begins to fall, you can quickly discover if your wipers are in good condition, if your defrosters work properly and if you have sufficient windshield-washer solvent in the reservoir. 

The cold can leave you with flat tires. You can discover that your car, truck or SUV battery really isn’t good enough for another winter. And, if you want to stay warm in your car in the winter, it’s an unpleasant surprise to discover that you vehicle won’t cooperate. 

Ensuring that your car doesn’t have any weaknesses, glaring or hidden, is essential if you want to make sure you don’t find yourself on the side of the road one cold McHenry winter night. A little preparation can save you one heck of a big headache.