What You Need to Prepare Your Jeep for Winter

Winter. You know that it snuck up on you last year, and if you don't start now, you will most likely wake up one morning unprepared for the snow covering your Wrangler. You will also have no snow tires, a dead battery, and frozen windshield wiper fluid–again.

Thankfully, preparing your Jeep for winter is easy, and we have the steps lined out for you. With a bit of planning, your Jeep will continue to overdeliver with its safe adventure in the snow, ice, and subzero temperatures. Regardless of the temperature during winter where you live, make sure you prep your Jeep correctly as you prepare for winter driving.

  • GET OUT THAT HARDTOP

You may be full of adventure, but when the temperature drops, that Jeep soft top is not going to provide much protection. So, it's time to get the hardtop back on or pick up one of our Jeep DV8 hard tops if you don't already have one. Unless you live in South Florida, you'll thank us later.

  • REPLACE YOUR WIPER BLADES

Even when it doesn't rain, wiper blades can deteriorate. Road debris, sun, and pollutants can destroy the rubber on your wiper blades. And when you need them in the snow, they streak and move the snow around, but don't do their job of clearing the windshield. However, replacing your wiper blades is inexpensive and easy for you to do. It can increase your visibility in bad weather and save you from expensive repairs.

  • PUT SNOW TIRES ON YOUR JEEP

If you have been running a highway tread, it's time to switch to off-road tires full time. And, if you live in an area where there's heavy snow and low temps, you will want to get those snow tires on. Tires like our Toyo Open Country are designed to be sticky and pliable in extreme temperatures, so you will be safe in any situation.

  • PREPARE YOUR JEEP FOR STORAGE

When winter comes, you may want to protect your Jeep and store it for a few months. But, before you store it, change all your fluids, and put your Jeep on jack stands. Fresh fluids will prevent any oil or water oxidation, damaged hoses, or gummed-up oil passages, and jack stands will keep your tires from getting flat spots. Also, don't forget to put a trickle charger on your battery to keep it charged all winter.

  • MAKE SURE YOUR JEEP LIGHTS ARE BRIGHT

Even our Rough Country 50" Black Series Light Bar needs to be tested before rolling onto a dark, snowy winter nights trails. So, if your headlights need aiming, or you could use some more light, it's time to make those updates.

  • KEEP THE ENGINE WARM

Your Jeep is strong, but a lousy coolant mix will cause major engine problems. Frozen coolant can crack an engine block, so put a proper antifreeze mixture and water into the tank. If you have a diesel, your Jeep can run better with additives in the fuel tank.

  • CHECK YOUR CHARGING SYSTEM

There is nothing like an Optima battery for cold weather cranking amps, but even that can't overcome a flawed charging system. Starters and alternators can go bad, and you may need to tighten up the belts. A quick test will provide all the information you will need.

  • PREPARE AN EMERGENCY BOX AND STORE IT IN THE JEEP

Even though it's last on the list, an emergency box should be the first thing you stock up on. You will need the following items:

  • Emergency radio
  • Powerful flashlight
  • Non-perishable food
  • Water
  • Batteries and device chargers
  • First Aid Kit

And pack these for your Jeep:

  • Antifreeze
  • Oil
  • Washer fluid
  • Rubbing alcohol to melt ice
  • Jumper cables
  • Sandbags
  • Show chains
  • Shovel
  • Jack and tools

As a reminder, these lists are not comprehensive, and you will probably need to adjust them based on your needs. But they will definitely help you along and give you the basics to weather any winter outing with safety and confidence.