Don’t get stranded in Illinois this winter, says car expert

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) – Although it’s still technically fall, arctic weather has arrived in the stateline.

And with those nippy days, comes the need to winterize our cars and trucks so we don’t get stuck in the cold.

“You want to make sure your tires are good, your anti-freeze, of course is good,” said Tim Javurek, owner of TJ’s Auto Center in Rockford. “Test your battery, washer solvent—all that stuff needs to be checked thoroughly to make sure that car is ready to go for winter.”

Javurek says dead batteries are a leading cause of stranded motorists when temperatures start to drop.

“Especially if they’re aging,” he said. “That’s another thing. If a battery checks good, it doesn’t necessarily mean that. Because of the age, it should be replaced.”

Valoria Robinson, of LaGrange, found that out the hard way Thursday morning.

“I went to drop my daughter off at school and was preparing my day to come visit a friend out here in Rockford for her birthday,” Robinson said. “And as I got back home, my car battery died. So, I had to call my husband to come down and give me a jump. I went to AutoZone and had to change out the battery.”

Having a plan to winterize a vehicle before the cold weather hits is always a good idea. Waiting until the last minute can result in unnecessary inconveniences and costs.

“You have to be towed or jumped, or whatever,” Javurek said. “That’s a big inconvenience. If you have to take kids to school or whatever, what do you do? You’re stranded.”

Robinson wasn’t stranded but the ordeal was certainly an inconvenience.

“A $263 inconvenience,” she said.

Experts say a vehicle’s battery should be changed every three to five years.

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