Car Maintenance to Do in the Spring

20 April 2017
 Categories: , Blog

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When the seasons change, it is typically a good time to do routine maintenance on your vehicle. This helps to avoid more serious problems with your vehicle, but can also give you the opportunity to look for problems that need to be addressed right now. Here are some car maintenance tasks to be sure you do in the spring.

Check the Fluids and Change the Oil

Fluids in your vehicle need to be checked every few months, so when the season changes, it is usually a good reminder to check them again. You should check all the fluids in your vehicle, including the water and coolant, oil, brake, transmission, and power steering.

If you aren't sure how to check the fluids, bring your car in for a regular oil change and tune-up, and they will do this for you. This is also a good time to change the oil and get a new oil filter. This will go a long way with making sure your car runs smoothly and doesn't have engine problems. Overheating is often the result of low fluids in your car, particularly low coolant or oil. Just by checking the fluids, you might be able to avoid having to call a tow truck due to overheating.

Inspect the Tyre Tread and Pressure

Your tyres also need to be checked in the spring, including the tread and the tyre pressure. A pressure gauge is all you need to check the pressure, which is very easy to do. The sidewall of the tyre should tell you the desired pressure for your tyres. If the gauge says the pressure is too low, you know it is time to add more air to them.

Also look at the tread, looking for signs that it is too low. This can put you at risk of sliding if it rains in your area frequently during the spring. If you plan to go on a road trip during spring break, make sure you are checking your tyres before you leave. If you fail to do this, you might end up in the middle of your road trip with a blown tyre and calling up a tow truck to help rescue you. Thinking ahead can save you this inconvenience.

Replace the Wiper Blades

Your windshield wipers are probably going to be used pretty often in the spring, as many areas tend to get more rain during this time of the year. Plus, if you used them often in the winter, they might be worn and need to be replaced. Take your old wiper blades into an auto supply store so you can be sure you get the right size. This is also a good time to add more windshield wiper fluid if you haven't done so already.

When you are performing maintenance, it is also a good time to make sure you have everything you need in the car in case of an emergency. This includes cones to put around your car if you need to call a 24 hour towing truck, extra cell phone battery, and bottled water if you end up needing to wait on the side of the road or get stuck in traffic.