Safe driving also involves staying on top of your car’s maintenance to avoid preventable break downs. Let’s go over some of the best maintenance tasks to check off this fall:
Check the owner’s manual. First things first: you should always reference your vehicle’s manual to see if you have any upcoming recommended maintenance tasks.
Change the oil. To operate smoothly and avoid wear/tear on the engine, your vehicle needs regular oil changes. When was the last time you got yours? Vehicles have different standards depending on the type of oil it uses, but you should definitely get it serviced if you’ve driven 15,000 miles since the last one.
Top off fluids. Fluids like coolant, windshield wiper cleaner, antifreeze, and transmission should all be topped off.
Test the battery charge. Freezing temps slow down the chemical reaction in a battery, so a battery with low charge will have trouble starting. If the battery is older than four years, it might be time for a replacement. Even if the charge is fine and it does not need to be replaced, wipe off the terminals to avoid any kind of build-up around the battery.
Check the tires. There are a couple things to check for your tires: pressure and tread. Fluctuating temps will affect the pressure, so regularly check to make sure it’s in the ideal range. For the tread, use the penny test to make sure you will have adequate traction when driving this winter. If you’re going in for an oil change, ask if the technician can also do a tire rotation. Those two services often go hand in hand.
Inspect the brakes. Fully functioning brakes are essential when dealing with icy and snowy roads. Have your local service center thoroughly check the system to make sure you’ll be covered for the next 6 months, at least.
Replace windshield wipers. The rubber on wipers goes bad somewhat quickly due to many different reasons: UV exposure, extreme temps, and natural wear. Cold weather causes the rubber to stiffen, and the wipers are often beat up a bit when they start sticking to the glass due to ice.
Before we head into the tough winter, Superior Service Center can help with your auto repair needs. Check out our monthly specials to see if any of them fit your vehicle’s checklist, and then schedule an appointment online.