In “autumnal” there is “tart”, tart means something like bitter, hard, painful or difficult to bear. Together with our partner KUNGS, we want to make autumn a little more bearable and have put together a few tips and tricks for you on the subject of “driving in autumn”.
You can also get advice from us on the subject of “getting your car ready for autumn”.
The temperatures fall like the foliage, the days are getting shorter again, it gets darker faster again. Let's face it: The fall season may be romantic for walkers and probably many photographers enjoy the beautiful photo opportunities but with the car there are still some points that you have to consider.
Driving in autumn - so you can get well into winter
It is not just the darkness, it is above all the subject of wetness in connection with the leaves on the street. Through this combination, the braking process quickly becomes a slide. That's why in the fall you have to prepare for the change in weather, colder temperatures and fog and foliage. Already in the driving school we have learned: drive ahead! This also helps us in the fall, and we should still pay attention to mistakes made by other road users and just think about them.
Foliage, fallen fruits, branches and wetness. This is similar to black ice.
We do not exaggerate at this point, on snow and ice you can drive under circumstances even better than on leaves and Fallobst!
For that reason you should reduce the speed in the autumn, especially in front of hills and curves. If you should start to slide, then you have to keep calm. This sounds more complicated than it is, because of course we always try to dodge a potential danger. However, a jerky steering movement could cause the vehicle to break out, a driving condition that should be avoided. Keep a little more distance and do not let yourself be jostled, there are always rally drivers who think they can do better. Let them pull, maybe you can refresh the experience of the first aid course in the next turn.
In the fall you also have to look through it, that's why we get straight to the next point: getting your car ready for the fall!
Now comes the time of fogged windows, here it helps to clean them in time. Clean windows mist less quickly. If you have moisture in the vehicle, you should try to get out of the vehicle on dry days. Do the gutters work? Does the ventilation work? When did you last change the cabin air filter? Are there any leaves before the intake? Are the floor mats wet? Quietly go on a search, because one thing is certain: After the fall, winter comes and then you definitely want to have no moisture in the vehicle. We recommend to use rubber mats, especially if it appears that there will be a lot of rain. Your doormats and especially the carpet in the vehicle will thank you!
Light - an important topic (not only in autumn)
Responsible car drivers pay attention to it throughout the whole year, but of course you should pay special attention to the lighting equipment in autumn as well. Do all lighting devices work? Light? Dimmed headlights? Parking lights? Brake lights? Reversing light? Blinker? What about the rear fog light?
Fun fact: The rear fog light may only be switched on when the visibility is less than 50 meters. If the visibility is less than 50 meters, you can drive a maximum of 50 km / h. In other words, if you are traveling on the motorway at 130 km / h, you should switch off the rear fog light. With normal braking from a speed of 50 km / h, the stopping distance is approx. 40 meters. This stopping distance is longer on leaves and wet. Just by the way.
Does the license plate light work? All the points you should go through, you can also take a look at the lighting in the interior, because no one wants to sit in the dark in the car without light.
During the tour, you can already take a look at the tires, at least at winter temperatures you can even think about the change of season. What does the profile look like? What is the tire image? Are damages visible? Did the tire run smoothly? Is there enough air in the tire? Stepmotherly, the spare wheel is often treated, quiet here also check the air pressure, because an empty spare wheel brings you in the case of the cases and not a kilometer further to the finish.
We already mentioned it: the view is important! Especially in the dark you need a clear view through all windows and of course also working windscreen wipers. You can also change these yourself if they are worn out. Streaking or squeaking windshield wipers should be cut or replaced. For some, you can only replace the rubber lips, which is good for the environment.
The windshield cleaning fluid should also be refilled, here you can use the version for the winter. The right frost protection is important here. Last but not least: the washing nozzles! Are these set correctly? Do they also spray on the window? Are these possibly blocked? Now is the right moment to check that, because once the windows are smeared, it is no longer uninhibited. We actually recommend: Wash your car more often! Clean cars are seen faster, leaves and dirt attack your paintwork and of course the car wash operator is happy too.
It is already a good tradition, together with our partners from KUNGS we will bring you well through the autumn / winter again this year and of course there will be a raffle again this year. Nevertheless, you should already put an ice scraper NOW in the car, because the cold temperatures are coming and after the fall is always winter.
