After a long winter, spring feels like a breath of fresh air. For those of you that love driving on the open road in the glorious sunshine, it’s the perfect time to start getting your vehicle ready. Here at JD’s Auto Repair, we know just how excited you are to get back on the road, but we also want to remind you how important it is to ensure your car is correctly cared for before your do. Here are our 5 car care tips for spring.
Change Your Oil, Oil Filter, and Other Fluids
After a long winter of driving through sprayed-up mud and dirt, your engine is likely to be clogged up with grit and grime. Changing your oil will get rid of this leftover dirt while also allowing your engine to run smoothly and perform at its peak. Refer to your user manual to ensure you change the oil correctly. You should also take this opportunity to check your power steering, brake, and transmission fluids, as well as your washer fluid and coolant. Spring is a time when there are lots of particles in the air, so you’ll need to keep your windscreen cleaner than usual. With the increase in temperatures, you’ll need more coolant to keep your engine in good health.
Check Your Battery and Charging System
If your vehicle hasn’t seen the light of day since fall, you may want to check the battery before you make any trips. It may have gone flat, or worse, it could have been exposed to the elements and been damaged while your vehicle was in storage. The last thing you want is to pack your car for a trip and then realize that it won’t go anywhere! Even if your battery seems to be working fine, you should check all the connections, making sure they are free from corrosion and everything is connected properly before you start your engine.
Check the Tires
Whether or not you have been driving your vehicle all winter, you should still check the tires in spring. You may need to change out of your winter tires if you live in a particularly icy area. You should check for any nicks, cuts, or wear to your tires and ensure that the tread is at least 1mm deep (although ideally at least 3mm). Summer driving will take its toll on your tires with the heat and dry debris on the roads. Make sure they are road-worthy before you start driving!
Check Your Lights and Windshield
You should regularly check that all your lights are working throughout the winter, but this is also an important check to make in spring. Make sure your headlights, brake lights, and turn signal lights are all working correctly. If you have suffered any windshield damage during the long winter months, now is the time to have it repaired. Most car insurance policies cover minor windshield repairs such as chips and cracks, so contact your insurance provider to see if you can have this covered.
Do a Complete Safety Check
People tend to have more passengers in their vehicles during spring and summer. Maybe you’re driving to the beach, going on vacation, or simply taking more family days out. It’s, therefore, important to check all safety features of your vehicle at regular intervals throughout spring and summer. Make sure all the seatbelts are in working order, ensure there are no problems with the airbag system, check for signs of structural issues such as cracks and rust to the chassis, and make sure your brakes are in full working order.
Spring is exciting because it signals the start of good weather. However, it’s also a time to get prepared for summer. Make sure you thoroughly check your vehicle before you start your summer driving by following these 5 car care tips for spring. Here at JD’s Auto Repair, our team of highly trained experts can perform these checks for you or help you with any problems you may have. Give us a call or contact us via our website today.
