Land Rover Winter Driving Preparation: Your Fall Checklist

Colorado posts traction requirements on I-70 from Sept. 1 through May 31, which makes fall a deadline rather than a suggestion. Land Rover service prep for winter covers more than tires. Traction, braking, visibility, and cabin heat are the four areas worth your attention. Visit Land Rover Flatirons to make sure your vehicle is ready for the cold months ahead.

Colorado Traction Law Sets the Baseline

Colorado’s Passenger Vehicle Traction Law requires at least 3/16 inch of tread depth. Vehicles must also have winter, all-weather, or mud-and-snow-rated tires, including AWD and 4WD vehicles, or use chains or an approved alternative traction device. The seasonal requirement applies from Sept. 1 through May 31 on the I-70 mountain corridor between Morrison and Dotsero. When the Passenger Vehicle Chain Law is activated, every vehicle must use chains or an approved alternative traction device.

Pressure, Winter Tires, and Chains That Fit

Measure your tire pressure cold against the figure on the driver door label, since every 10 degree drop in temperature can reduce your tire pressure by one to two PSI. It’s also a great time to look into adding winter tires, especially if you’re planning on heading to the mountains for a ski trip. Our service team can help you find the right option, and even recommend chains if you need them.

A Pre-Winter Inspection Worth Scheduling

A pre-winter inspection should cover the battery, charging system, brakes, belts, hoses, and whatever warning light you have been ignoring. Coolant freeze protection gets verified, worn blades get replaced, and washer fluid gets swapped for a below-freezing rating. Heated mirrors and a heated windshield are worth testing if your vehicle has them.

Know Your Settings Before the Snow Starts

If equipped, learn Terrain Response® and the Grass/Gravel/Snow setting on a dry day, along with Hill Descent Control, using the instructions for your model. The Denver area averages about 49 inches of snow a year, so check COtrip.org before a mountain trip. A scraper, shovel, traction sand, and blankets belong in the vehicle before the first storm.

Schedule Land Rover Service to Prepare for Winter Driving in Broomfield, CO

The shoulder of I-70 near Idaho Springs is a bad classroom. Land Rover Flatirons schedules pre-winter inspections with the equipment your vehicle calls for, and our Land Rover dealership in Broomfield, CO, stocks approved parts. Should new tires start a larger discussion, our finance team can explain Land Rover financing.