Remove the snow from your wheels as soon as possible.

      Andrew P. Collins

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      During my first winter driving experience around 2004, I ended up crashing my RX-7 into a snowbank. A helpful passerby assisted in getting me out, and after we confirmed there was no significant damage to the car, I got back on the road, only to realize that the steering wheel was vibrating quite a bit. Once I got it into a friend's garage, we found no visible damage, but discovered the wheels were packed with snow. This accumulation had disrupted the tire balance, which was easily fixed with some cleaning.

      If you woke up to heavy snow today and noticed your car felt a bit unstable on your drive to work, it's quite possible there's a lump of ice lodged in a wheel that won't melt. Even a small amount of weight can affect a wheel's balance—when your tires are installed at a shop, the weights used can be as minimal as a quarter-ounce. After a storm, it's easy to have an ice chunk that weighs more stuck in a wheel.

      This situation isn’t a "do this or your car will crash" type of issue, and if you've already driven with some snow in a wheel, there’s likely been no significant damage. Still, having your tires off-balance is something to avoid, especially in winter when driving can already be more challenging.

      You're more likely to detect an imbalance in the front wheels, but it's a good idea to check all of them for the best performance. Often, snow lodged in wheels will simply melt away before you notice any difference in how the car handles. However, given that here in NY, temperatures aren't expected to rise above 30 degrees Fahrenheit for a while, it seems I'll need to take care of my own wheel cleaning. Our BMW F31 has already been out today, and I can see that at least one wheel still has some snow stubbornly stuck to it (which prompted me to write this PSA).

      One final note: I suggest wearing a sturdy work glove for clearing snow from your wheels. I personally like yellow ones like these; it’s a good idea to keep a pair in your car year-round. They also come in handy during summer for helping turtles that take too long to cross the road (which is surprisingly common in my area).

      If you shove your snow duster into your wheels, it might collect small rocks that could end up scratching your paint or windshield when you clean the top of your car. Since wheels are always dirty, be cautious and gentle if you're wearing a nice jacket.

      Do you have any other useful winter driving tips or entertaining snow stories? Feel free to leave a comment or reach out to me at [email protected]