Minnesota has already been hit with some frigid temps, so your car might be feeling the strain if you haven’t had a chance to get it checked out recently or take the time to maintain it. To prevent avoidable wear and tear, it’s important to be aware of easy and essential maintenance tasks that you can either check yourself or go to a mechanic.
How you can maintain your car:
- Let it warm up to get the oil properly moving. Most modern cars don’t need much time to warm up the engine like they used to, and you can start driving right away as long as it’s at a neighborhood speed. However, it’s more important to make sure your defroster is working and that your windows are all cleared of frost or snow.
- Check your tire tread with the penny test. If your tires aren’t up to par, then it may be time to think about replacements.
- Keep your gas tank at least half (or a little under) full. This prevents condensation from building up and potentially freezing in your fuel line.
- Check your tire pressure to maintain peak gas mileage and even tread wear.
- Turn on your lights and get out to inspect that they’re all working correctly.
- Be vigilant to any new sounds, vibrations, or other changes that occur when driving your car. Write them down and call a trusted mechanic if they persist.
How your local auto mechanic shop can maintain your car:
- Get your windshield wipers replaced and your windshield fluid checked and/or topped off.
- If the tire tread isn’t ideal for getting through the winter, have your tires replaced. If they’re doing okay, get them rotated so they last longer.
- Get your battery checked. In freezing winter temps, your battery’s cranking power reduces so that it may take longer to start up or stop working. Your mechanic will let you know by testing if it just needs to be recharged or if it needs a replacement.
- Have them check your antifreeze and the system it goes through to make sure there aren’t any leaks or damage. The fluids may need to be topped off as well.
- Keeping up with your regular oil changes will ensure there’s no extra wear and tear from oil that moves slower and not as well thanks to built-up debris.
- Get your brakes checked out to make sure they’re working right and that no parts need replaced.
Be prepared for wintertime and schedule a maintenance appointment at our Eagan or Apple Valley location. We also have online specials so you get a great deal on superior auto service.