Many people store their cars for the winter, and if you won't be driving your car, storing it is a good idea. After all, storing your car for the season keeps it protected from inclement weather. However, if you don't prepare your car for storage correctly, you might have some auto repairs to make in the spring. The good news is, you won't have to worry about having car problems in the spring if you avoid these common mistakes.

Letting the Battery Die

Keeping your car battery charged prolongs its life. Car batteries that loses their charge eventually are unable to recover, so they have to be replaced. While a car battery doesn't usually stop recharging after it loses its charge one time, it can happen if your car battery loses its charge several times. So, if you don't want to purchase a replacement car battery in the spring, you need to make sure your battery stays charged during the winter. You can do this one of several ways:

• Start and drive the car every two weeks for about 15 minutes. This gives the alternator enough time to recharge the battery.
• Open the hood of your car and hook a battery tender up to the battery.
• Remove the car battery completely, set it on a piece of wood, and hook it up to trickle charger.

If you use a trickle charger or a battery tender, you need to make sure you're using one that powers off automatically. This way, your car battery doesn't get overcharged. Also, if you have a radio in your car that needs a code to be entered when you reactivate it, make sure you know the code before disconnecting your car battery.

Leaving the Tires Low on Air

When your car sits in the same position for an extended period of time, it could cause you to have flat spots on your tires — this is another reason it's a good idea to drive your car once in awhile. However, your flat spot risk decreases if you inflate your tires properly. Before storing your vehicle, inflate the tires to the level that's recommended by the manufacturer. Normally, you can find the right tire pressure level on the sticker that's attached to the driver's side door on the inside rim.

Not Changing the Oil

Even if it isn't time for your car to get an oil change, you should consider changing the oil before your car goes into storage. As you drive your car, the oil in your engine gets used — which contaminates it. If your car is left sitting for an extended period of time with debris and corrosive materials in the oil, it might cause damage to your engine. So, if you're storing the car for the entire winter season, change the oil first.

When it comes to preparing a car for winter storage, it's the small things that people don't think to do. Most people know that they should wash their car before storing it and add fuel stabilizer to the gas tank, but it's easy to forget things like inflating the car tires or changing the oil when your car isn't due for an oil change. So, before storing your car for the winter, make sure your tires are full of air, your car battery is prepared, and the engine oil is fresh. This way, there's a good chance that you'll having car problems as soon as the car is taken out of storage.

Contact a service like Hub Auto Supply to learn more.