ST. LOUIS — The brutal cold can be tough on our cars, but Pat Hamill with St. Louis Auto and Truck Repair says there are a few things we can do to prepare before the sub-zero temperatures move in.

Check to make sure your washer solvent is full.  

"Two to three inches from the top. You're not gonna hurt anything filling that full, unless you spill it over,” he said. “When it gets cold like this, they make another washer solvent that's good to negative 40 or 60 below.”

Check the oil level.
"The oil is just so think when it gets like that it makes it hard to start, everything cranks a little slower, battery's working harder, starter's working harder, so it's a good idea to make sure it's full for one thing,” Pat said.

He mentioned the battery there. He says any battery older than 4 years is on borrowed time.

"I would say at least go load-test it. A load test will tell you how much cold-cranking amps are left in the battery,” he said.

Make sure there’s enough air in your tires.

The cold causes them to lose air pressure, Pat says, a pound of pressure every 10 degrees.

"When the tires get really low, the car wants, when you turn, the car wants to cave the tire over and it won't handle near as good as when you have pressure,” he said.

If you don't know how much pressure your tires need, most cars have a guide on the inside of the driver side door.

To prevent your doors from freezing shut, Pat recommends spraying WD-40 on a rag and wiping down the rubber seals inside the door frame.