October, the official Fall Car Care Month, is the perfect time of year to pay special attention to your vehicle and get it ready for winter. The Car Care Council recommends the following steps for winterizing your vehicle:

• Clean, flush and put new antifreeze in the cooling system. As a general rule of thumb, this should be done every two years.

• Make sure heaters, defrosters and wipers work properly. Consider winter wiper blades and use cold weather washer fluid. As a general rule, wiper blades should be replaced every six months.

•Have the battery and charging system checked for optimum performance. Cold weather is hard on batteries.

• Check the tire tread depth and tire pressure. During winter, tire pressure should be checked weekly. Consider snow tires.

• Be diligent about changing the oil and filter every 3,000 miles. Dirty oil can spell trouble in winter. Consider changing to a "winter weight" oil. Have your technician check the fuel, air and transmission filters at the same time.

• If you're due for a tune-up, have it done before winter sets in. Winter magnifies existing problems such as pings, hard starts, sluggish performance or rough idling.

• Have the brakes checked. The braking system is the vehicle's most important safety item.

• Have the exhaust system checked for carbon monoxide leaks, which can be especially dangerous during cold weather driving when windows are closed.

• Check to see that exterior and interior lights work and that headlights are properly aimed.

More than 70 per cent of motorists admit that they do not have their cars winterized in preparation for inclement weather, according to a survey conducted by the Car Care Council.

Motorists should also keep the gas tank at least half full at all times to decrease the chances of moisture forming in the gas lines and possibly freezing.

Drivers should check the tire pressure of the spare in the trunk and stock an emergency kit with an ice scraper and snowbrush, jumper cables, flashlight, flares, blanket, extra clothes, candles/matches, bottled water, dry food snacks and needed medication.