Before the Coquihalla, Hwy 3 or the Fraser Canyon: A Winter Vehicle Checklist

A winter trip east of Hope asks more of a vehicle than the daily drive around Chilliwack: long climbs and descents in the cold, long gaps between towns, and the chance of hours in the car if a highway closes. This checklist splits the preparation into what you can check yourself, what a technician should look at, what to pack, and what to check on the day.

Where the winter rules start

The Ministry of Transportation's South Coast and Southern Interior route maps show this pattern for a Chilliwack driver:

• Highway 1 through Abbotsford and Chilliwack, and Highway 7: not designated winter tire routes.
• Highway 1 from near Laidlaw, through Hope and up the Fraser Canyon: designated October 1 to March 31.
• Highway 5 (the Coquihalla) and Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton: designated October 1 to April 30.

On the designated routes, a legal winter tire has at least 3.5 mm of tread and the mountain/snowflake symbol or M+S on the sidewall, and you need at least two on the primary drive axle. Driving a passenger vehicle without them where they're required can bring a 121-dollar fine, and the RCMP may turn all vehicles away if they think conditions are unsafe. BC winter tire rules for Chilliwack drivers has every route, date and exception, and explains what makes a tire legal.

What you can check in the driveway

These checks need nothing more than your eyes and a tire gauge. Write down anything that seems wrong so you can show it to a technician.

Tires and pressure

• The marking. Look for the mountain and snowflake symbol or M+S on all four tires, not just the ones on the drive axle. TranBC recommends tires with the mountain snowflake symbol for severe winter routes. If you're choosing a set, winter vs all-weather tires compares the two types that carry it.
• Tread and damage. 3.5 mm is the legal minimum for a winter tire on a designated route. Transport Canada recommends at least 4 mm on winter tires for the safest winter driving. Look for cuts, cracks, blisters, bulges and uneven wear too: Transport Canada says tires with deep cuts, cracks, blisters or bulges are potentially dangerous and should be replaced (Riding on air).
• Pressure, against the right number. The recommended pressure is on the vehicle's tire information label, usually on the edge of the driver's door or the door post. The maximum pressure marked on the sidewall is the pressure the tire needs to carry its maximum load, and Transport Canada says it's generally not the vehicle's recommended pressure.
• When to check. Measure when the tires are cold, meaning parked for at least three hours or driven less than 2 km, and don't forget the spare (Inflating your tires).

Pressure matters more than usual on a mountain trip. Transport Canada says tires lose about 7 kPa (1 psi) for every 5°C drop in air temperature, and a mountain pass can be a lot colder than the driveway where you set the pressure.

Tires that are worn, damaged or wrong for the route are better replaced before the trip than on it, and a tire pressure warning that won't clear needs a look too. Both are jobs for West Yale's wheels and tires shop.

Lights, wipers and washer fluid

• Lights. Walk around the vehicle with the lights on: headlights, high beams, tail lights, brake lights and signals. TranBC singles out headlights and tail lights for mountain driving.
• Wiper blades. Transport Canada recommends wipers designed for winter. Replace blades that no longer clear the glass cleanly.
• Washer fluid. Transport Canada suggests winter washer fluid rated to -40°C, plus an extra jug in the vehicle.

Leaks, the heater and warning lights

• Under the car. After the vehicle has been parked for a while, look at the ground under the engine. If there's a spot, note its colour, amount and where it sits so you can describe it to a technician.
• Hoses and belts, by eye only. With the engine off and cool, look for obvious cracks, bulges or leaks on the hoses and drive belts you can see. Never reach into the engine bay while the engine is running.
• Heater and defroster. A defroster that can't keep the windshield clear is a visibility problem on a pass. Weak heat usually traces back to the cooling system, so add it to the list; the guide to a car heater blowing cold air explains why.
• The dash. If a check engine, brake, battery or tire pressure light is already on, have it looked at before you go. Some lights, such as a red brake or charging light or a flashing check engine light, can mean the vehicle shouldn't be driven at all. Check the owner's manual, which Transport Canada points drivers to for what warning symbols mean, and call a shop before driving it anywhere.

Open recalls

Transport Canada's Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database searches by make, model and year, and its manufacturer list links to each maker's lookup by vehicle identification number (VIN). Transport Canada says owners are responsible for getting a recalled product repaired, so if something turns up, contact the manufacturer before the trip.

What to have a technician check

The brakes, battery, cooling system and exhaust all matter on a long climb and descent in the cold, and you can't judge any of them from the driveway.

Brakes. Transport Canada lists pulling, a change in pedal feel, and unusual squealing or grinding as signs the brakes may need repair. Long descents work the brakes hard, and TranBC notes that brake loss is more common in commercial trucks, "but it can happen to any vehicle." If you've noticed any of those signs, have the brakes inspected well ahead of the trip. If the pedal feels soft or sinks toward the floor, or the brake warning light is on, don't wait for the trip date. Don't drive the vehicle until it's been checked; call 604-793-9310 first.

Battery. Transport Canada's winter inspection list includes checking the charging system and replacing weak batteries before they fail, and notes that an engine needs a fully charged battery to start in cold weather. A no-start at a snowy rest area is a much bigger problem than one in your own driveway. For more, see why cold mornings expose a weak battery.

Cooling system. The same coolant that keeps the engine from overheating also feeds the heater and defroster. Weak heat or a temperature gauge that behaves oddly is a reason to have the cooling system checked.

Exhaust. Transport Canada flags exhaust leaks because they can send carbon monoxide into the vehicle. That matters more when you might sit idling in a line of stopped traffic with the windows up.

Have these checked early enough to fix anything that turns up before you leave. If the vehicle is due for routine maintenance, such as an oil change or a battery test, you can ask the technician to look at the brakes, cooling system and exhaust during the same visit. No inspection can promise a vehicle is ready for a particular road on a particular day. It tells you what's worn, failing or due.

Pack an emergency kit for a closure, not just snow

Mountain highways close for more than snow. During the flooding of December 10–11, 2025, a mudslide near Bridal Falls closed eastbound Highway 1 between Bridal Falls and Hope, with traffic detoured to Highway 7. Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton was closed too, and the Coquihalla between Hope and Merritt was shut for about 20 hours before reopening on the afternoon of December 11, according to the Chilliwack Progress and CFJC Today. Pack as if you might spend hours in the car.

Drawn from Transport Canada's trip planning list and TranBC:

• Warm clothes, boots, gloves, a tuque and blankets for everyone in the vehicle
• Water and non-perishable snacks
• Ice scraper, snow brush and a small shovel
• Sand, kitty litter or traction mats
• Flashlight, first aid kit, and warning triangles or flares
• Booster cables
• An extra jug of winter washer fluid
• A phone charger or battery pack
• Chains, if you have them. The Province recommends carrying chains for extreme conditions in addition to winter tires, and says chains on summer tires aren't an acceptable substitute for legal winter tires on signed BC highways.

Before you pull out:

• Fuel. TranBC says start with a full tank. Transport Canada's general winter advice is to keep at least half a tank, and for an electric vehicle, to make sure there's enough range for unplanned stops, since the cold reduces range.
• Tell someone. Transport Canada suggests telling someone your route and when you expect to arrive.

On the day: DriveBC and the pass forecast

TranBC warns that on a mountain pass, a nice day can turn into a snowstorm in minutes. Check before you leave, and again at stops along the way:

• DriveBC shows road conditions, closures, events and highway webcams. Cameras on the routes out of Hope include the Great Bear Snowshed and the Zopkios rest area near the Coquihalla Summit on Highway 5, Allison Pass and the Hope Slide on Highway 3, and Yale on Highway 1.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada's B.C. Travellers Routes forecast covers the Coquihalla (Hope to Merritt and Merritt to Kamloops), the Okanagan Connector, and Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton via Allison Pass. It's issued seasonally, starting October 1 each year.

Transport Canada's advice is to give yourself extra time and, if the weather is bad, wait for conditions to improve. Once you're moving, TranBC's advice is to slow down when conditions are anything but ideal. If a warning light comes on, the temperature gauge climbs toward hot, or the brakes feel different along the way, pull off somewhere safe and clear of traffic and call for help rather than pressing on over the pass.

Common questions

What if the Coquihalla is closed when I reach Hope?

Check DriveBC for Highway 3 and the Fraser Canyon before switching routes, because one storm can close more than one road east of Hope, as the December 2025 flooding did. If DriveBC shows closures on the routes you'd use, or police are turning traffic back, wait for them to reopen rather than looking for a way around.

Does the same check apply to a summer trip?

Most of it does: tires, lights, leaks, fluids, brakes and a kit suited to the season. Long climbs and long waits in traffic are hard on the cooling system, especially with a loaded vehicle, so the radiator and air conditioning are worth having checked before that kind of trip.