β οΈ Read the build number before using an old workaround
Early Access behavior changes between builds. This page summarizes decision-relevant updates, but it is not a substitute for the developer's complete changelog.
Check the official Steam announcements, then compare the version shown in your game before applying a workaround from an older post.
v.261008-01 β October 8, 2026: what to check next
Reviewed October 29, 2026 against the developer announcement. These are workflow implications of the official changes, not independently tested fixes.
- Ratchet will not tighten a bolt: some bolt types no longer accept it. Check the tool before rebuilding the assembly; tool-dependent bolting speeds also changed.
- Carb adjustment behaves differently: adjustment-screw bugs and missing adjustment sounds were fixed. Compare your installed build before following old tuning advice; the notes provide no new universal AFR target.
- Windows freeze after sleeping: this can now happen during sleep. Check visibility before driving rather than treating every frozen window as a new fault.
- Race registration remains stuck after a win: Ice Race and Rally registration-reset fixes are included. Confirm that the update is installed before retrying an old workaround.
- Fleetari engine work: a motor hoist was added to his garage, with the developer explicitly noting that it may need more testing. His garage door is now automatic.
- Tires wear faster in cold conditions: the update makes colder ambient temperature increase tire wear. Inspect condition before the next long trip; no wear-rate formula was published.
Also changed: Corris automatic transmission, taxi idle control, blinker auto-return setting and day-fine income calculation. Do not apply a pre-update fine estimate without checking the new rules.
Source: Amistech official Steam update, October 8. For assembly decisions see the Rivett tool check; for symptoms use troubleshooting.
π September Patch - v.260917-01
A broad gameplay update with changes that affect starting diagnosis, phone calls, controls, survival, vehicle assembly, jobs, and ice racing.
-
CHANGED
Longer Corris cranking can now be normal β The secondary carburetor chamber now evaporates, lengthening cranking times. Do not diagnose a no-start from an old fixed-second rule alone.
-
FIX
Evening phone calls β Fixed calls not coming through during evenings. Players on this build should still check the physical phone connection and event prerequisites if calls remain absent.
-
FIX
Logitech pedal assignment β Fixed an assignment problem affecting some Logitech pedals; update first, then rebind before relying on an older workaround.
-
ADDED
Separate vehicle parts β The heater controls box became a separate part, and the choke lever was separated from the bottom dash cover. A missing lower dash cover is no longer, by itself, the explanation for a missing choke lever.
-
ADDED
Progression and survival changes β Added an intro cutscene, leisure time for Uncle and Jokke with prerequisites, an imported interior fabric roll, extra freezing without a windshield, and a lug wrench requirement for tire changes.
-
FIX
Systems and reliability β Ice-race result sheets now save; passing out advances time correctly; oil starvation and worn pistons now have their intended consequences; weather and several vehicle systems were adjusted.
π‘ Before troubleshooting after this update
- Confirm the installed build is v.260917-01 or newer.
- Verify game files on Steam (Right-click My Winter Car β Properties β Local Files β Verify Integrity)
- Re-check newly separated parts and rebind affected controls before editing a save.
- Use the Troubleshooting Guide to split the symptom, then check Steam Discussions for build-specific reports.
π Earlier Launch-Period Patches
New Year's Day patch addressing vehicle engine issues and missing order items.
-
FIX
Fixed issues with Sorbett and Tractor engine shutoff / restart procedure β Vehicles now shut off and restart properly using correct procedures
-
FIX
Fixed Subwoofers and Antennas order not delivering both pieces β When ordering these parts, you now correctly receive both items in the pair
-
FIX
Fixed Passenger Race Seat not included in orders β Race seat now properly included when ordering from catalogs
-
FIX
Fixed CD audio not having sound in Taxi and Sorbett β CD player audio now works properly in both vehicles (if you imported CDs from My Summer Car, they should now work)
First major patch after EA launch, addressing the PSK crash bug and numerous gameplay issues.
β οΈ Temporary Changes
-
TEMPORARY
Burger and Ala Carte sellers disabled temporarily β Food vendors at PSK gas station temporarily removed to investigate crash-on-purchase bug. Will be re-enabled once root cause is found
β
Vehicle & Physics Fixes
-
IMPROVEMENT
Improved some Sorbett colliders β Reduced the possibility of physics glitching and vehicle freakouts
-
FIX
Fixed Wood Cutter breaking if attached to Tractor β Wood Cutter attachment no longer breaks when player travels too far from it
β
Corris Rivett Assembly Fixes
-
FIX
Fixed Ignition hole being available without Steering Column β You can no longer access ignition without first installing the steering column
-
FIX
Fixed Glovebox being available without Dashboard β Glovebox now requires dashboard installation first
-
FIX
Fixed Corris having Rear Window Heater when VIN stated M β VIN plate now correctly reflects whether car has rear window heater
β
Building & Location Fixes
-
FIX
Fixed Car Shed doors getting stuck if closed β Garage doors now open and close properly without getting jammed
-
FIX
Fixed Cottage Sauna stove not heating up the Sauna room β Sauna at cottage now heats properly when stove is fired up
β
Game Systems Fixes
-
FIX
Fixed Permadeath not deleting save files β When you die in Permadeath mode, save files are now properly deleted
-
FIX
Fixed House and Apartment Fuses cross referencing β Electrical fuses now work independently for house and apartment
-
FIX
Fixed CD music being heard from long distances β CD player audio now properly attenuates with distance
-
FIX
Fixed floating Radio β Radio object now properly placed/attached
-
ADDED
Added small delay to the Advert pile spawn β Newspaper advertisements now spawn with slight delay to prevent conflicts
π Early Access Launch - December 29, 2025
β
Successfully Launched
My Winter Car entered Steam Early Access on December 29, 2025 at $14.99 USD (β¬14.99 EUR). The game launched with 80-90% of core gameplay mechanics complete, including full car building, tuning, winter survival, and ice racing systems.
- Developer: Johannes Rojola (Toplessgun) / Amistech Games
- Platform: Steam (Windows PC)
- Price: $14.99 USD / β¬14.99 EUR
- Discount: 10% bundle discount for My Summer Car owners
- Save Import: Limited save import from My Summer Car supported
Known Issues at EA Launch
From the official Early Access Release Notes, here's what was explicitly mentioned as incomplete or not yet implemented:
1. Historical Vehicle Inspection
PLANNED IMPROVEMENT
Not yet as accurate and detailed as it will be. You might pass too easily or get caught by minor things that shouldn't fail you. Full accuracy coming in future updates.
2. Ice Race Rewards
LAUNCH ISSUE β LATER CHANGED
Trophies and prize money were added in v.260210-01. Result tracking was fixed in that update, and result sheets received a further saving fix in v.260917-01.
3. Death Screen Statistics
NOT WORKING
Death screen statistics are not yet working correctly, or just display random broken stats. Don't rely on these numbers.
4. Engine Tuning Combinations
TESTING IN PROGRESS
Not every possible engine tuning combination is properly tested. If you tune your engine for higher performance, use the Dyno whenever you can and take notes to help identify issues.
5. Imported CD Issues
KNOWN ISSUES
Some imported custom CDs from My Summer Car may have issues playing. Fixed in v.260101-01 for Taxi and Sorbett.
11. No Intro or Ending
INTRO ADDED; ENDING UNVERIFIED
The launch build lacked an intro, but v.260917-01 added an intro cutscene. This review did not find enough current official evidence to state the ending status.
12. Missing Textures
WORK IN PROGRESS
Some texture work is missing. Visual polish ongoing throughout Early Access.
13. Custom Paintjobs
ADDED AFTER LAUNCH
Custom paintjob import and a layered template were added in January 2026.
14. Part Re-spraying
LIMITED
Some engine / car parts can't be re-sprayed yet. Full respray system coming later.
15. Simplified Weather
MODEL UPDATED
A seven-day forecast weather model was added in January 2026, and weather generation received further adjustments in v.260917-01.
β οΈ Developer's EA Philosophy
From the official EA notes: "After the release, the idea is to fix at least the worst issues and bugs. Then it is time to start adding more content that I have already in mind, and finish/polish those things listed above."
Translation: Focus is on stability and bug fixes first, then new content and polish.
π‘ How to Access Patch Notes Yourself
Want to stay up-to-date with the latest patches? Here are three official ways to find patch notes:
π¬
Method 1: Steam Community Discussions
Most Reliable Method: Developer Toplessgun posts official patch notes in Steam Discussions, usually pinned to the top.
- Go to My Winter Car Steam Discussions
- Look for pinned posts titled "UPDATE v.XXXXXX-XX"
- Recent patches are usually at the top, older ones may fall into the forums
π‘ Tip: Bookmark the discussions page for quick access. Developer posts there immediately after releasing updates.
π
Method 2: Local Changelog.txt File
Direct Access: Developer also maintains a Changelog.txt file in your game installation folder.
Right-click My Winter Car in Steam Library
β Manage
β Browse Local Files
β Open "Changelog.txt"
Typical location:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\My Winter Car\Changelog.txt
π‘ Tip: This file is updated with most patches and provides a quick offline reference.
π
Method 3: SteamDB Patch Tracking
For Technical Users: Track all updates including silent patches and depot changes.
Visit: SteamDB - My Winter Car
β οΈ Note: SteamDB shows when updates are pushed but doesn't always include developer notes. Use Steam Discussions for detailed patch notes.
β±οΈ Selected Update Timeline
Decision-relevant checkpoints rather than a claim that every depot build is reproduced here. For the full sequence, use the official Steam feed.
September 17, 2026 - v.260917-01
Starting, phone, control, survival and vehicle-part changes
- Longer cranking from secondary carb chamber evaporation
- Evening phone-call and some Logitech pedal assignment fixes
- Separate choke lever and heater controls box
- Intro, leisure events, ice-race saving and survival changes
May 16, 2026 - v.260516-01
The last major official checkpoint before the September update.
May 4, 2026 - v.260504-01
Durability, jobs, police checks and carbon-monoxide mechanics.
February 10, 2026 - v.260210-01
Ice-race trophies and prize money were added, with result-tracking fixes.
January 2, 2026 - v.260102-01
Launch-period stability patch
- Sorbett stability improvements (ongoing)
- Save data fixes for items/tools
January 1, 2026 - v.260101-01
New Year's Day patch
- Engine shutoff/restart fixes (Sorbett & Tractor)
- Fixed missing order items (Subwoofers, Antennas, Race Seat)
- CD audio fixes for Taxi and Sorbett
December 30, 2025 - v.251230-04
First major post-launch patch
- Disabled PSK food vendors (crash investigation)
- Sorbett physics improvements
- 13 bug fixes (Permadeath, building issues, Rivett assembly, etc.)
December 29, 2025 - Early Access Launch
Initial public release
- Full car building & tuning system
- Winter survival mechanics
- Ice racing (no rewards yet)
- 15+ known issues documented
- 80-90% of core gameplay complete
β οΈ Launch-Era Status Corrections (Reviewed September 2026)
Do not treat the December launch list as a current known-issues list. Later official patches changed several of those items.
π Still requires current-build confirmation
- Historical inspection: multiple later patches adjusted individual checks; verify the exact part/build rather than assuming the launch behavior.
- Death statistics, textures, respraying and ending state: this review did not find enough current official evidence to label each one fixed or ongoing.
- Current regressions: check the official feed and build-specific reports; absence from this summary is not proof of a fix.
β
Confirmed changed after launch
- Ice-race rewards: trophies and prize money were added in v.260210-01; result sheets gained further saving fixes in v.260917-01.
- Custom paintjobs: import support was added in January.
- Weather: the seven-day forecast model arrived in January and received later adjustments.
- Intro: an intro cutscene was added in v.260917-01; the ending was not confirmed by this review.
- Permadeath Save Deletion: Now properly deletes saves on death (v.251230-04)
- CD Audio: Works in Taxi and Sorbett now (v.260101-01)
- Missing Order Items: Subwoofers, Antennas, Race Seat fixed (v.260101-01)
- Car Shed Doors: No longer get stuck (v.251230-04)
- Sorbett Physics: Significantly improved stability (v.251230-04, v.260102-01)
π¬ How to Report New Issues
- Check if already reported on Steam Discussions
- Update to latest patch first (some issues may already be fixed)
- Verify game files: Steam Library β Properties β Local Files β Verify Integrity
- Create detailed bug report with: game version, what you were doing, reproducible steps
- Attach save file if requested by developer
- Be patient β solo developer is rapidly fixing issues based on community feedback