8 things you should never leave in your car over winter

During the winter months, your car endures extreme temperatures. While many drivers keep up with maintenance to protect their vehicles against the elements, others don't think about the damage that harsh conditions can do to items inside the car. Here are 8 things you should never leave in your car over winter.

Phones  

A lot of mobile phone manufacturers warn against storing your phone at temperatures below 0 degrees as batteries are vulnerable to extreme cold, this can affect phone performance and battery life.

Drinks

When liquid freezes it expands, putting pressure on the can or bottle containing it. If temperatures dip below freezing and the container explodes, you’ll have yourself quite the mess to clean up!

Aerosols

Similar to drinks, pressurised cans such as aerosols are put under added stress in extreme hot and cold environments. The aerosol can crack or explode, not just making a mess in your car, but potentially causing harm to you or your passengers.

Keys

You might be tempted to start your car on cold mornings to warm it up while you retreat back to your house. While this doesn’t damage your car or the keys, it could leave you open to car theft.

Glasses

Ever leave your sunglasses in the glovebox until you need them again next summer? Both heat and cold can affect the frames so it might be worth keeping them in your house on days when you don’t need them.

Musical instruments

This one may sound odd, but instruments are left in cars more often than you think. According to leading music schools, extreme cold temperatures can cause instruments to go out of tune and those made of wood can crack or even shrink in the cold.

Important documents

Cold temperatures and wet conditions can cause real damage to paper documents which means you might have to pay for expensive replacements. Leaving them visible in your vehicle also makes you more vulnerable to identity theft.

People and pets

You often hear how dangerous it can be to leave dogs and children in hot cars, but it can be just as dangerous in cold weather too. Remember that all people and animals can be at risk when left in a car as the interior cools very quickly.