Subaru News (BLOG)

Welcome to Subaru News, Suburb Service’s monthly blog! Subaru News is meant to educate, entertain, and engage you in monthly musings on such topics as auto mechanics, Subarus, travel, auto repair, and driving and living in the Lake Forest Park and Shoreline area. Our blogs are released on the first day of each month!

Yearly Archives: 2018

9 Favorite Cold Winter Car Hacks to Make Driving Easier

Winter driving isn't ideal. Ice, snow, sleet, and cold temperatures are common-and you're in a love-hate relationship with driving. You hate sitting in the cold waiting for it to warm up, you hate prepping your car for winter, and you hate risking an accident on ice-but, if you are anything like us, you love your Subaru and nothing can keep you two apart. Need help? Use some of our favorite cold winter car hacks to make owning a Subaru in the winter just a little bit easier (especially if you don't have a garage!). 1. Wrap your car's side mirrors in plastic One of our favorite cold winter car hacks? Wrapping side mirrors in plastic. While you might not be able to keep your entire car snow and ice-free, you can at least save your windows with this easy hack. Wrap mirrors with gallon-sized plastic bags. Use a rubber band to secure them. This will keep your mirrors ice-free! ... read more

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Here's Why Tires Go Flat in Cold Weather

It's a chilly morning in Seattle. Your Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) springs on immediately after cranking your car. Panic ensues. Have you been here before? Seeing a car dash light come on is never fun. Lights are meant to register emergencies or car failure only...or so you've been told. Don't panic. You might be able to blame your Tire Pressure Monitoring System alert on the weather and science-and you might not need a mechanic! Why Do Tires Go Flat in Cold Weather? What does weather have to do with it? Here's why tires go flat in cold weather (and why you shouldn't panic when you see a TPMS light on your Subaru!). Tire Air Contracts When it's Cold Outside The least complicated reason to explain why your tires lose air when it's cold outside? Air contracts whenever it is cooled. When the outside temperature drops, air molecules don't move as quickly and they don't take up as much space inside the tire-remember this from science cla ... read more

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How to Stop Windshield Wiper Chatter

While there are plenty of car issues worse than squeaky windshield wipers, nothing is quite as annoying. Windshield wiper chatter makes every drizzly day a pain-so how do you make it stop? Inspect your windshield wipers now to find out the culprit, then read our four ways to stop windshield wiper chatter. 4 Ways to Stop Windshield Wiper Chatter Without Replacing Them1. Clean your wipers A squeaky windshield is often caused by built-up grime on your wipers. Removing any buildup from your wiper blades using a cleaning cloth and soapy water will likely do the trick to stop the chatter. 2. Clean your windshield glass If it's not your wipers causing the issue, it could very well be a dirty windshield. Has it been a minute since you've taken your car through the wash? A thorough cleaning will help. Grab some glass cleaning supplies (a bottle of Windex and a cleaning cloth will do!) and wipe it down. 3. Refill wiper fluid ... read more

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How to Get Your Car Ready for Ski Season

How to Get Your Car Ready for Ski Season Winter is coming-and, for someone like you, it's almost time for some outdoor adventure. In preparing for the ski and snowboard pre-season, you've probably thought about purchasing new boots, picking out the latest gear, or revving up your winter wardrobe with just the right outerwear. But, don't fail to remember an important part of prepping for ski season: your car. As your weekends will soon turn to 3-day ski trips, you want to prepare your car now. Make sure it's ready to load up all of your gear and prepared to tackle snowy travels. Here's how. 5 Ways to Get Your Car Ready for Ski SeasonAdd on chains First thing's first: make sure your tires are in excellent condition before traveling on icy terrain. Old tires or ones with worn out tread should be replaced before traveling too far in winter. Have great tires? Maybe consider adding o ... read more

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Our Guide to Surviving Seattle's Darkness

With plenty of things to love and few things to loathe, Seattle locals can all agree: Seattle goes dark in winter-and, Seasonal Affective Disorder is a very real thing. Because Seattle is further north than most other cities in the Pacific Northwest, the change of season and daylight savings time don't allow for quite as many daylight hours. If you just moved to Seattle, you have to learn to take care of yourself this winter. And, if you're a local, you might need a refresher on self-care tips. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to cope with the darkness. Here's how the locals survive winter in Seattle! Be proactive Understand that the Seattle darkness is a real thing. Many people (especially in cities close to the North and South Pole!) experience changes in mood and behavior during less sunny times of the year. If the winter weather has affected your mood in the past, don't wait. Be proactive and know what gets you motivated-then, do those things this season ... read more

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