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Address lingering winter issues and prep your vehicle for warmer days. See our pro tips for pre-summer driving.
Winter’s harsh weather and dark days can leave hidden clues about your car’s problems. To avoid any spring surprises, now is the perfect time to shine a light on your car’s maintenance needs and give your car a refresh with a timely tune-up.
Give your car a refresh this spring season with a seasonal inspection and these maintenance tips:
- Replace worn and damaged tires. Potholes, hidden road debris, unseen curbs and frequent skids–winter driving can damage even new tires. Have your advisor look for cuts, scrapes, sidewall damage, leaky stems and bulges. They all can cause tire problems on your next spring outing.
- Stay straight with proper alignment. Your car’s steering and suspension components can reveal the wild ride your car had endured the past several months. Have a certified pro check control arms, bushings and ball joints for unusual movements. Telltale signs include veering, bouncing, difficulty steering and vibrations. An alignment check can help prevent tire damage, improve steering and indicate other critical issues before you go on your next road trip.
- Freshen up your car’s filters. One of the easiest and quickest ways to ensure your car is running efficiently and smoothly is by changing your car’s filters. The spring season brings a surge of pollen and combined with the build-up of dirt and grime from winter, your car’s air filters will most likely need replacing. A build-up of dirt, grime, and pollen stops air from getting into the combustion chamber, preventing the engine from running efficiently and reducing gas mileage. There are two main air filters: one is the cabin filter and the other is the engine filter. The cabin filter should be replaced regularly to prevent polluted air from entering into your vehicle’s vents. The engine air filter protects your car’s engine by preventing dust, dirt, and anything else from getting into the engine. Ask your advisor if your vehicle is due for a new filter.
- Give your car’s battery a recharge. Winter’s cold temperatures can strain and drain your car’s battery rather quickly. It’s important to have your mechanic test your battery load to ensure it’s holding a proper charge. Added bonus; have them clean and tighten your battery terminals as well.
- Check for proper tire inflation. Avoid underinflated tires which wear out faster and reduce your gas mileage by checking tire pressure. Whether you drove a lot or hardly at all during the winter months, your car’s tire pressure should still be checked. Tires lose pressure faster in colder temperatures as well as when they sit for a long period of time.
- Pump the brakes.Before heading out for your spring travels, be sure to get your brakes checked. Winter can be hard on your brakes with frequent use on slippery slides and sudden stops. Have your mechanic do a thorough check including brakes, brake pads, rotors, calipers, and fluid levels.
- Refresh and top off fluids.Despite lingering April storms throughout North America, warm summer driving is only a few months away. That makes it especially important to check vital fluids including: engine oil, transmission fluid, coolant levels, power steering fluid, brake fluid, and even windshield washer fluid.
- Shine a light on your car’s hoses and belts. Cold winter temperatures can lead to cracks in engine hoses and belts. Ask your service advisor to take a peek around the engine compartments for signs of belts or hoses wear. Cracked hoses can turn into major leaks come warmer days. And squealing belts or cracked belts can prevent your engine from running properly.
- Keep your engine cool with a coolant flush. As summer temperatures seem to creep higher much sooner, an important part of your car’s spring tune-up is to check the cooling system. A coolant flush might be needed to clean out old, degraded coolant and other contaminants to ensure proper engine temperature regulation and prevent overheating.
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