Winter service — help when it's at its coldest

What does your car need in winter?

Winter on Öland is not like winter on the mainland. Here the wind comes straight in off the sea, the temperature hovers around freezing, and the wind makes it feel ten degrees colder. The flat landscape offers no shelter — not for you, and not for your car.

The most common problem we see in the workshop is batteries giving up. Cold is hard on car batteries, and one that barely made it through last winter may not manage another. One morning you turn the key and nothing happens. If you’re in Löttorp or further north on the island, with the nearest alternative far away, that becomes a stressful situation fast.

The engine heater is another classic. Many people take it for granted until it stops working — and then you notice the difference immediately. A working engine heater doesn’t just save the battery and reduce engine wear, it gives you a warm cabin to get into. On Öland that isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.

Then there’s the lighting. Darkness falls early and lifts late. Broken bulbs or misaligned headlights don’t just make it harder for you to see — they make you invisible to everyone else. That’s a safety matter.

The winter checklist — battery, engine heater and lights

Here’s what we recommend checking before winter. It doesn’t have to be complicated — but it does have to be done.

• The battery — Let us test it. We measure the capacity and see whether it will handle the cold. Better to replace it in the workshop than to stand there with jump leads in the dark.
• The engine heater — Does it work? Check the cable, the element and the timer. We diagnose and repair.
• Coolant — The right mixture protects against frost. We check the freezing point.
• Wipers and washer fluid — Switch to winter fluid with antifreeze. Wiper blades wear out — replace them if they smear instead of wiping.
• Lighting — Every bulb, front and back. Headlight alignment. It takes five minutes to check.
• The tyres — Winter tyres with enough tread depth. We measure and advise.
• The brakes — Do they work evenly? Worn brakes on icy surfaces are dangerous.

Bring the list with you, or call us and we’ll go through it all together.

Our winter services — battery testing and more

At Källa Fordonservice we handle the whole winter preparation. We test the battery, check the engine heater, replace bulbs, top up the coolant and check the brakes. All in the same visit.

We’re also quieter in the workshop during winter compared with the autumn tyre rush. That means shorter waiting times and more time to talk through what your particular car needs. Björn and Nauris know what Öland winters do to cars — they’ve seen it for years.

As part of the Autoexperten network we use quality parts and document everything we do. If you need a new battery, we’ll find the right model at a good price. And if you’d like extra peace of mind, we can tell you about roadside assistance cover — round-the-clock assistance in Sweden, Norway and Denmark if something happens anyway.

If you’ve already had an autumn service and switched to winter tyres, a quick battery check may be all you need. If you haven’t got round to it — it’s never too late to do it properly.

Book your winter service now

You don’t need to be nervous about winter. Book a winter check and we’ll make sure the car is ready for whatever Öland throws at it. And while we work, you can have a cup of coffee in the waiting room — there’s always a pot on.

Källa Fordonservice is at Wij 10 in Löttorp. We help you with everything from a battery test to a complete winter service. And when spring comes we’ll take care of the rest — read more about spring service.

Call us on 0485-270 70 and we’ll book you in.