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Preparing your vehicle for a Québec winter: the checklist

Battery, wipers, -40 washer fluid, block heater and a kit in the trunk. The list that helps avoid a breakdown at -25 on a back road to the cottage.

By La Petite Nation · · Who we are

A gloved hand scraping frost off a snowy windshield
AI-generated illustration (ChatGPT), La Petite Nation

In the city, a dead battery is usually resolved with a phone call and an hour's wait. On a back road in La Petite-Nation on a Friday night in January, with the cottage still 20 minutes away, the situation is different: cellular coverage can be patchy, the tow truck comes from a distance and the nearest neighbour may be a kilometre away. It is therefore advisable to have your vehicle inspected in October.

The information below comes from CAA-Québec, Québec.ca and Transport Canada.

Battery first

The battery is often the first component to fail on a cold morning. CAA-Québec explains that summer heat is what wears a battery down; the cold only reveals that it is at the end of its life.

  • If it is over 4 years old, slow to start, or if the headlights dim at idle, have it tested.
  • Have the alternator checked at the same time.
  • The ideal time is when the winter tires are installed, since the vehicle is already on the lift.

Block heater

CAA-Québec recommends plugging it in from about -5 °C. Before winter, examine the cord and plug: a split cord or a salt-damaged plug should be replaced before January.

Fluids

  • Winter washer fluid rated to -40 °C. Blue summer fluid freezes in the tank and the nozzles.
  • Coolant (antifreeze): check the level.
  • Engine and transmission oil, brake fluid, power steering fluid: all are on Québec.ca's pre-winter inspection list.
  • Keep the fuel tank at least half full, as CAA-Québec recommends. This precaution proves useful if you are held up in a highway backup on Highway 50 during a storm.

Seeing and being seen

  • Winter wiper blades, the rubber-coated type. Ice adheres to them less.
  • Headlights, turn signals, hazard lights and horn: all must be working. Clean the headlights, as salty slush makes them cloudy.
  • Heating and defrost: if the windshield clears slowly in October, it will be worse in February.

Under the hood and underneath

CAA-Québec advises inspecting belts and hoses for cracks and bulges. Québec.ca adds the exhaust, brakes, and the ignition and electrical systems. Four matching winter tires and a checked spare are also required. Dates and rules are covered in the article on Québec winter tires for 2026-27.

The kit in the trunk

A winter car emergency kit: snow brush, folding shovel, gloves, blanket, flashlight, reflective triangle, first-aid kit, water, granola bar, booster cables, tow strap and safety vest
A winter car emergency kit: snow brush, folding shovel, gloves, blanket, flashlight, reflective triangle, first-aid kit, water, granola bar, booster cables, tow strap and safety vest AI-generated illustration (ChatGPT), La Petite Nation

Based on the combined Québec.ca, CAA-Québec and Transport Canada lists, the following items should be in the vehicle from November to April:

  • a shovel, ice scraper and snow brush;
  • traction mats, sand or kitty litter;
  • booster cables or a portable booster;
  • a flashlight and batteries, matches or a lighter, a candle;
  • a warm blanket, toque, mittens and spare boots;
  • water and snacks that do not freeze easily (granola bars, canned fruit);
  • extra washer fluid and fuel-line antifreeze;
  • a first-aid kit, road flares or a reflective triangle, a reflective vest;
  • a charged phone and a power bank (CAA suggests 10,000 mAh or more);
  • a paper road map. CAA-Québec includes it on its list, and it is particularly useful north of Chénéville.

It is advisable to keep all of these items in a plastic bin that stays in the trunk. Everything will then be at hand on the day it is needed.

Clearing the entire vehicle is required by law

Québec's Highway Safety Code prohibits driving a vehicle covered in snow or ice that could come loose and endanger another person. According to the SAAQ:

OffenceFine
Vehicle not cleared (roof, hood)$60 to $100 + fees
Blocked windshield or windows$100 to $200 + fees
Driving not suited to conditions$60 + fees and 2 demerit points

The roof, headlights and licence plate must be cleared. A small opening in the windshield is not sufficient.

On the road

  • Transport Canada states that most vehicles need only about 30 seconds of idling before departure. The engine warms up better while driving gently.
  • The SAAQ reminds drivers to keep well back from snowplows, whose blind spots are very large.
  • Before returning to Ottawa or Montréal on a storm day, check road conditions on Québec 511 or on the road conditions page.

Where to have the work done

Body shops & windshields

Bastien Collision

Bowman

Garage offering towing and impound, body repair, general mechanics, used parts and snow removal.

Body shops & windshields

CarrXpert Thurso

Thurso

Body shop offering dent repair, located on rue des Pins.

Garages & mechanics

Garage Pierrot Rodgers

Ripon

Garage offering mechanical repairs and a 24-hour tow truck service.

Garages & mechanics

Garage Ultra

Val-des-Bois

Car repair shop in the village.

Garages & mechanics

Mécanique 725

Montebello

Mechanic at the east end of rue Notre-Dame.

Garages & mechanics

Mécanique Avantage

Montpellier

General repair garage in the Tech-Net network, also handling tires, brakes, suspension and steering. Reviews mention fair prices and travellers…

Garages & mechanics

Mécanique D.S.

Val-des-Bois

Mechanical repair shop on chemin du Huard.

Sources

ThursoPapineauvilleSaint-André-AvellinRiponChénévilleVal-des-BoisDuhamel

Sources

The facts in this story come from these public sources. Every place and event mentioned has its own page, with its sources and the date it was checked. Legal notice

Links cited in the story

Sources for the places and events mentioned

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