Winter check worth knowing tips berlin

adminonJuly 18, 2022February 11, 2022Leave a Comment

Now it is high time to winterize your car for the cold winter months.

A comprehensive check that includes all the important points is therefore very important if you want to get through the winter safe and sound.

A checklist will help you to make sure you don’t forget a single item and that you can travel in wind and weather and fog with peace of mind.

As DIN ISO certified and body&paint certified master car repair shop we are at your service for your wintercheck and autumncheck.

Contact us now for your winter check!

Phone 030 – 33 77 59 80

wintercheck worth knowing tips berlin

Amazon motorist winter articles: the right articles for the AUTOFAHRER winter is here at AMAZON online for you –

Ice scrapers, snow brooms, winter tires, transport boxes, daytime running lights, seat heaters and more.

Everything for the cold and dark season:

winter check tips berlin: winter tires – a must for every car

Suitable winter tires for your car with sufficient tread depth should be fitted or had fitted in october at the latest.

If you hire a garage to change your tires, you should also keep in mind that especially in october and november the garages are very busy.

That’s why it’s essential to make an appointment in good time so that the winter tires are on the car when they’re needed and not in the middle of winter.

Winter tires should always be mounted from october to easter, because at plus 5 degrees celsius the rubber of summer tires begins to harden, so that there is no longer enough grip.

This can be more than vital especially in curves and in wet and frosty conditions.

Your winter tires must not be more than four years old.

the tread depth must have a minimum of 4 mm, preferably more.

This is explicitly prescribed by the road traffic regulations.

the tire pressure for winter tires should not be less than 2 bar.

you can easily check this yourself at any gas station, which is recommended from time to time.

Wintercheck worth knowing tips berlin: the storage of summer tires for the cold season

Summer tires should be checked for possible damage and the tire pressure should be increased by 0.3 bar before storing them.

But a storage of summer tires from four weeks upwards they are stored upright with a minimum distance of 10 cm to the ground.

If they are then also approx. every four weeks the tires a little rotate can nothing more go wrong.

Only then can you be sure that you will still be able to use your summer tires next spring.

winter check worth knowing tips berlin: snow chains for trips to the mountains

if you ever consider going to the mountains in winter, it is recommended to buy high quality snow chains.

the handling of the snow chains should be possible and easy with a few simple steps.

Because most of the time you will need the snow chains all of a sudden, because you can’t get on with your winter tires anymore.

If it is then also still dark each handle should sit.

When you go to the mountains, you should of course take the snow chains with you, because they are of no use to you at home when you are on the road.

wintercheck worth knowing tips berlin: battery check for the hard winter months

A car battery is always put to the test when temperatures drop below freezing point. In the cold season, the car battery has to do a lot to ensure that the car starts in the morning even when it’s cold.

check your battery regularly and replace it every few years with a younger model, because over time a battery loses power.

According to studies, the most frequent causes of breakdowns in winter are due to battery failure.

To avoid this, you should also check your battery regularly during the warm summer months. The test can also be carried out by workshops with special measuring devices.

The battery acid level is very important. In addition, the poles should be cleaned. A frost jacket can help to increase the reliability of a battery.

The starter cable – a little all-rounder in case of a sudden breakdown
a starter cable can help in case of a sudden breakdown when the battery fails.

If you then know how to operate the starter cables, your car can start again.

All you need is a power source – preferably in the form of a second car.

Make sure that the vehicles do not touch and the engine of the other car is running. In addition, the red and the black cable must be connected correctly.

Carry out a light check
especially in the cold season it gets dark earlier.

So it is all the more important that you see them. Reliable lighting is not only important during snowfall and fog, but also in the afternoon and morning hours.

Clean the headlights often. Because of the pollution on the roads you get a thick layer of dirt and you can no longer see enough on the road.

Antifreeze for the windshield washer and for the radiator
frost protection is indispensable for the windshield washer system, because otherwise it will freeze up and you won’t be able to remove the dirt on the windshield with your wiper blades.

A blind flight with a fatal outcome can be the result very quickly.

Antifreeze is available on the market in various temperature grades. Don’t forget to refill regularly.

Frost protection is also necessary for the radiator. If you don’t use antifreeze, not only the radiator can burst in frosty weather, but your entire car, including the thermostat and water pump, can be affected.

De-icer spray helps with frost
a de-icer spray helps you in heavy frost so that the door locks of your car do not freeze up. The door seals are best protected with a grease pencil, so that they do not become brittle. A small effort with a big effect.

Ice scrapers and hand brushes help
snow and ice can take a lot of time to remove.

Therefore, be sure to have these useful helpers quickly at hand.

For older cars, we recommend a hot water bottle placed on the cockpit from the inside. Because old cars often freeze from the inside too.

Simply call now for non-binding information and advice at

Phone 030-33 77 59 80

Simply call now for non-binding information and advice at

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Deep bodywork, blacked-out windows, big wheels. Individuality and optimization of the standard condition are very important to tuningfans. With big wheels you want to make the handling sportier or with the sport exhaust system you want to increase the performance and improve the sound.

Electronic chassis with numerous adjustment options ranging from comfort to sport are currently in vogue. Alloy wheels and reinforced lightweight forged wheels are still in demand. "the individual car will continue to play an important role for motorists," says harald schmidtke of the association of automotive tuners (VDAT).

Although many manufacturers offer an extensive tuning program ex works, including body parts such as spoilers and underride guards, adaptive suspensions, large wheels and performance enhancements, they are also able to offer a wide range of options. But: "These tuning measures are geared to mainstream customers, and only the aftermarket offers individuality."

Loud engines and quiet electric cars

Germany’s leading tuning trade show, the essen motor show, celebrates its 50th anniversary. Birthday. But it’s not just roaring engines that are on show this time – electric cars are striking quieter notes in the scene.

Source: N24/daniela will

Thomas caasmann from the german technical inspection agency (gtu) sees a trend in optical modifications. Foiling changes more than just the color of the vehicle. "modern foiling films can be printed like paper. There are no limits to the graphic design of the vehicles."

There is also a small revival of the wide-body vehicles from the 1980s. The trend is spreading from the asian region back to europe. In the field of lighting technology, fans are increasingly opting for headlights with LED bulbs and tail lights with a flat light design.

Important for all modifications: a valid general operating permit (ABE) or a visit to the vehicle inspector’s office. "modifications to vehicles are often subject to statutory regulations. If these are not observed, the operating license (BE) may expire," says schmidtke. Cars without BE are prohibited on public roads, insurance coverage can be cancelled, and in the event of a check, warning fines or fines and points are incurred.

Misinformation about warranty and guarantee

Schmidtke advises to inform oneself about the regulations and legislation prior to the conversion. "reputable suppliers deliver the products with the necessary certificates and/or approvals, so that acceptance of modifications is usually not a particular challenge."extensive appraisals, such as after total conversions, must be carried out by officially recognized experts.

After tuning and registration in the vehicle documents, the insurance company should be informed so that the data of the insured risk is the same and there are no discussions in the event of a claim.

There is often misinformation about warranties and guarantees. "it’s not true that all warranty claims are void if aftermarket accessories are installed," says schmidtke. "even though the warranty is a voluntary service provided by the manufacturer or dealer, whereas the guarantee has a statutory basis."

There must be a causal connection between the tuning installed and the defect. However, the vehicle warranty can be voided by tuning measures, for example in the case of subsequent engine tuning on the engine and drive unit.

Anything that is not part of the vehicle’s operating permit is a technical modification, i.e. a subsequent tuning. Technical modifications to the car must be legally compliant and often require approval and/or registration.

"Drivers should urgently ensure that the components are accompanied by the appropriate test certificates," says thorsten rechtien from TuV rheinland. valid test certificates are ABE or parts certificates. However, this also means that the requirements of the test certificate must be complied with and that the components have been correctly installed.

Tuning ex works has advantages

The conversions must be generally permissible and legal to use within the scope of the road traffic licensing regulations (stvzo). The safety level remains unchanged only through professional tuning and proper acceptance, otherwise acceptance or registration would not be possible.

many tuning measures today are limited to the chassis including wheel-tire combinations as well as add-on parts for the optics. "optimizing or fine-tuning the vehicle, which used to be the origin of tuning, is rather rare nowadays," says rechtien. Because most of the manufacturers already offer cars from the factory that can be highly customized.

Every year, thousands of car owners visit garages across the country because they haven’t noticed that one of the warning lights on the dashboard is on. It doesn’t have to be something bad when a warning light comes on, but it can be serious if you ignore the warning and just keep driving.

A vehicle is equipped with many different warning lights, all of which indicate that something is wrong with the vehicle. Some warning lights can illuminate yellow/orange as well as red.

When a warning light yellow or orange if the light is on, it indicates that you should check for a possible fault and stop the vehicle. check the fault and make sure that your vehicle is taken to the workshop in the foreseeable future.

However, if the warning light red if the light comes on, you should stop immediately and take corrective action.

pay attention to the warnings of your vehicle

Sentences such as "all the red lights came on" or "he overlooked all the warning lights" are not very helpful when it comes to your vehicle.

When a warning light comes on, it may of course be a fault that is easy to fix, but who wants to take the risk and just keep driving when there may be something wrong with the car?.

Most car owners are sensible enough not to drive on and go to a garage to have the fault checked, but it turns out that there are still many car owners who simply ignore the warning lights.

If you belong to this second group, it can cost you dearly. That’s why other garages in the country are urging drivers to be vigilant about their indicator and warning lights. if a warning light comes on, stop the vehicle before it’s too late.

The most important lights are also the most dangerous

not all warning lights in your vehicle have the same meaning. If you sort the lights by their importance, it’s the oil and engine lights that you need to react to immediately when they come on. If you ignore the warnings of these lights, take the risk that the engine breaks down because it lacks engine oil, for example.

The workshops participating in autobutler generally state that they receive a lot of inquiries from vehicle owners whose engine light is illuminated. An engine light that glows orange indicates a serious fault, as this means that the engine is running in emergency mode. as a driver you should take this warning seriously.

If you have ignored the warning light and the engine fails as a result, you must expect that this will not be covered by the warranty, since you as the driver have caused the damage yourself, as it is called in insurance jargon.

So it’s not just the warning lights that can turn red – you, as the driver, can also turn red with rage if something breaks and you end up with a repair bill for several hundred euros.

How much does a car repair cost?

Prices for car repairs vary greatly depending on what part of your car needs to be repaired, whether replacement parts are needed and need to be installed, and of course, how many man-hours it will take the auto mechanic to complete the repairs. Since many car owners lack technical knowledge about their car, they often cannot estimate how much a repair will cost them, which parts of the car will have to be changed and how they are related to each other.

Therefore, many vehicle owners are dependent on the information and knowledge they receive from their repair shop. With autobutler, car owners get more transparency in the process of choosing a repair shop, but also in the repair offers, because with us you get offers from repair shops in your area. in the offers, the vehicle owners can also see which services and spare parts are included in the price and thus have more security in the car repair.

Our customer service department will be happy to help vehicle owners with any questions or problems, so that they are always well informed. And the best part? Autobutler customers save an average of 21% on their car repair by comparing repair quotes, which is equivalent to 117 euros. You can also profit from this.

The main warning lights

Are you one of those drivers who ponder the meaning of the different warning lights?? Then we have listed the most important warning lights for you here.

some of these lights use different colors to indicate the severity of the fault detected. For example, an ignored amber warning light may turn red at a later time if you did not heed it.

Basically, the colors have the following meaning:

Red: stop the car as soon as possible and turn off the engine. Follow the instructions in the manual. if you have doubts, call the roadside assistance.

Yellow: an action is required. stop the vehicle and turn off the engine. follow the instructions in the manual – in most cases you will still be able to drive to the nearest repair shop.

Green: these lights are for the driver’s information only and do not require any action on your part.

	handbrake light if the handbrake light flashes, check that you have released the handbrake. Even if the handbrake is no longer applied, it is possible that it has either seized or that brake fluid needs to be topped up or that the brake pads are worn out.
	Engine temperature is too high the engine may be overheated. one possible cause is that there is too little coolant. Stop the car and check if coolant needs to be topped up.
	seat belt indicator light the symbol with a safety belt – one or more of the passengers have not fastened their safety belts. The light goes out when all passengers are wearing their seatbelts.
	engine oil – red if the red indicator light with the oil can symbol lights up, the oil pressure is too low. Stop as soon as possible and call the roadside assistance so that your car can be taken to the garage.
	Engine oil – yellow if the yellow oil can symbol lights up, then the engine oil level is too low. stop the car and wait 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, you can check the oil level, making sure the vehicle is on a level surface. The oil level should be between the minimum and maximum on the oil stick. If oil needs to be topped up, refer to the manual to find out what oil to use. Add oil and start the engine for a maximum of 5 seconds. If the light goes out, you can drive to a workshop. If the light remains on, you need to call roadside assistance.
	Battery the symbol with a battery – there are problems with the power supply. one reason may be that the car battery is no longer working. drive directly to a workshop. If the light is on, several of the vehicle’s electronic safety devices may be out of service.
	brake system the brake symbol – is the handbrake applied? It may also be that one or more faults have occurred within the braking system. Refer to the manual for more information.
	ESP – electronic stability program, ESC – traction control the ESP symbol lights up when the vehicle’s electronic stability program is actively intervening. This usually happens on wet and slippery roads. Drive carefully, avoid jerky braking and take your foot off the gas pedal to slow down.
	Tire pressure tire pressure sensor – this symbol indicates that the air pressure in the car tire needs to be checked.
	Airbag/ seat belt pretensioner airbag and seat belt pretensioner system fault – the passenger front airbag is deactivated. This may be the case if there is a child seat in the passenger seat. have a mechanic check if the system is working properly.
	Engine engine symbol – this symbol alerts the driver to an engine fault. If the orange light is on, drive to a workshop immediately, where a mechanic can read out the fault via the on-board computer and rectify it. The symbol lights red. Stop the car and call for roadside assistance!
	ABS ABS symbol – this symbol alerts the driver to a fault in the ABS and/or ESP system. In most cases, the brakes will work even if the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and/or ESP are faulty. You will still be able to drive to the nearest workshop to have the fault rectified there.
	brake pads brake symbol – the brake pads are worn out and the brake pads of the vehicle need to be replaced. You can still drive the vehicle, but the brake pads must be replaced immediately.
	Low tire pressure/ TPMS tire pressure plays an important role in both safety and fuel economy. Cars built after 2014 have the automatic tire pressure monitoring system, which checks tire pressure regularly. if this indicator light comes on, you should drive to a gas station and fill your tires with air until the proper pressure level is reached. Tire pressure is measured in bar and you can find the correct specifications in your car’s owner’s manual. Make sure your brakes have cooled down before filling them with air.
	Diesel particulate filter if this indicator light comes on, then the particulate filter on your diesel car is either clogged or otherwise defective. It is very expensive to have the diesel particulate filter completely replaced, so you should first have it cleaned by an automotive mechanic. Since it is mandatory to have a working filter, you cannot pass the TuV with a defective diesel particulate filter, as the applicable emission figures cannot be met this way.
	Pre-glow check this sign lights up in the dashboard of your diesel car when you insert the key into the ignition switch. you cannot start your car until the sign goes out, because only then the glow tube has been heated sufficiently. This will take about 5 to 10 seconds.
	Low fuel level the yellow fuel level sign lights up when you need to refuel your car. The amount of gasoline or diesel left in your tank at this time varies from car brand to car brand, but it is recommended that you drive directly to a gas station.
	Rear fog light is active this indicator light tells the driver that the rear fog light is on. Make sure this is appropriate for the weather conditions so you don’t confuse or endanger other motorists.

Ignorant drivers

Nowadays, modern vehicles have a large number of warning lights that inform the driver, for example, that a door is not closed correctly, that the rain sensor is not working properly or that the air pressure of the tires needs to be checked.

Some vehicles have more than 30 warning lights, and the many lights certainly contribute to greater road safety. However, as a driver, it can also be difficult to keep track of the different warning lights. A british inspection showed that 98% of all drivers surveyed were not even aware of the warning lights that are most common. Fortunately, this is only true in England, but the trend is probably transferable to German car owners as well. Because if you are not an experienced driver, the warning lights can quickly cause confusion.

At the same time, the many warning lights can also make the driver immune, as many of the lights do not necessarily indicate that there is anything seriously wrong with the vehicle. Even if a light comes on, it is usually still possible to drive on, which is why the flashing warning lights are being paid less and less attention to. However, when a warning light comes on indicating a serious fault, people often fail to react in time.

Failure to keep track of the various warning lights can have disastrous consequences. the most important rule when a warning light comes on is to first look up the meaning of the warning light in the manual before continuing to drive. When the lamp lights up red, you must stop as soon as possible.

Follow these three tips and avoid serious problems

Use the manual of your vehicle and remember the most important symbols. Always carry the manual with you in the vehicle so that you can use it as a "reference book".

As long as the lights are yellow or orange, you should check whether you can continue driving. However, you should have your vehicle checked by a workshop soon.

If either the engine light or the oil light turns red, pull off to the side of the road immediately and call for roadside assistance.

winter check tips berlin: winter tires – a must for every car

Wintercheck worth knowing tips berlin: the storage of summer tires for the cold season

winter check worth knowing tips berlin: snow chains for trips to the mountains

wintercheck worth knowing tips berlin: battery check for the hard winter months

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