The month of October usually has us focused on things like Halloween or taking long drives to see the leaves as they change color. Both are very valid (and fun!) fall activities, but there is one activity that we bet sometimes falls by the wayside amongst them, and that is taking care of your car. Did you know that besides from being National Pizza Month (who knew?!), October is also Fall Car Care Month?
And with good reason. Winter is right around the corner, the season known to cause more problems for cars than other seasons. Many of the problems occur because drivers didn’t plan properly ahead of time for the risks that winter brings. We’d like to eliminate that mistake for you by helping you understand how you can prepare now to rest easy later.
Now would be the perfect time to check your whole brake system to make sure it can handle the icy roads in your future. You should already be having the brake linings, rotors, and drums inspected at each oil change. If not, it’s never too late to start!
While your auto shop is inspecting your brake system, make sure they check out the hoses and belts as well. There shouldn’t be any cracking, fraying, or fluids leaking. You don’t always need a mechanic to tell you if something is going haywire, though. If your car doesn’t “purr” but “screams” when idling, that’s a good sign one of your belts is loose or going out. Have it inspected and changed or tightened immediately.
Externally, you may need to replace your windshield wipers. It will be no fun to realize that they need to be replaced while you’re driving through the first snowfall. Also, make sure your windshield washer fluid reservoir is full of actual washer fluid (not water).
No one wants to be uncomfortable in their own car, but even more so as the temperature outside drops dramatically. Check the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system. Proper heating and cooling performance is critical for your family’s comfort and for safety reasons such as defrosting.
We hope a little change in weather won’t stop you from getting in your car to explore the great outdoors, or even to just travel across town. By following these essential tips, you’ll be taking on those winter streets as if there wasn’t a cloud in the sky!
If you need any help preparing your vehicle for winter give us a call
