When autumn rolls around, so does the cool, wet weather that brings the changing of the leaves and the eventual chill that drives people to stay indoors as much as possible. Studies have shown that people hunker down in the wintertime, meaning families stay put and cars stay parked. When they do venture out, their poor vehicles endure drastic temperature changes and hazardous conditions. Many people anticipate this change and prep their cars for the cold months, which is very wise in that it proactively preserves the life of your car. So, what can you do to prepare your car for autumn?
Service Your Brakes
Wet and icy roads are ahead, so good, functioning brakes are imperative to your safety and to the health of your car. Routine brake servicing isn’t something that most people need done more than once year, so doing it in autumn makes the most sense. Have your mechanic check brake rotors, linings and drums to get you all set for hazardous conditions ahead.
Check Your Tires
What’s just as important as having working brakes? Having healthy tires. Tires inflate and deflate due to temperature changes throughout the year, so have a gauge on hand that you can use to check the pressure as the hot months wane. As it gets colder, check your tire pressure monthly. Tread depth is also important, as is making sure that you don’t have any bulges or bald spots.
Check Your HVAC
Winter can be downright miserable as far as the cold weather is concerned, and there’s nothing worse than being stuck in a car where the heat doesn’t work in the dead of winter. For that reason, have the HVAC system checked to be sure that heating and cooling is functioning as it should be. Cooling is important as a defrosting mechanism, so don’t overlook that just because you won’t need to cool yourself down.
Replace Your Wiper Blades
Ice and snow can be rough on a windshield, so you’ll want new blades that are ready for the task ahead. Wiper blades should be changed twice a year, so go ahead and plan for one of those times to be right before you need them functioning really well. Old or torn blades will do little to remove any moisture (frozen or not) from your view.
Check Your Battery
Batteries typically last about 4-5 years, and fail without warning. Keeping that in mind, it’s always best to check the battery at the beginning of the cool months, as these months can be really hard on it. Check the charge and clear the connections of any corrosion or grime, as this can be hazardous to the life of the battery. If your battery is over 3 years old, it’s not a bad idea to replace it before winter to avoid any chance of being stranded without a working battery.
It’s not a huge list of items, but these 5 maintenance tips could help prepare you and your car for colder months, and promote a longer, healthier life for it.
