Five Tips for Car Maintenance in the Fall

It’s that time of year again. The leaves are changing colors, and before you know it, winter will be upon us. Driving in the elements is stressful, and no one looks forward to scraping ice off their windshield in the morning, no matter how rare that occurrence may be. All you need are a few simple car care tips to make winter in Hanford, CA much less of a hassle. With the help of the fall car maintenance tips below, your vehicle will be prepared for cold weather and all the challenges that come with it.

• Check tire pressure and tread depth: Cold weather negatively affects your vehicle’s tires. They lose one to two pounds of pressure every time the external temperature drops 10 degrees. Check the door jamb for proper inflation levels and visit your gas station’s air pump if necessary. Also, you’ll need a fresh set of tires if the tread depth is 1/8” or lower. Measure the outer, center and inner treads for a proper assessment.
• Measure brake pad thickness: Fully functioning brakes can be a lifesaver on slick roads. That’s why one of the most important fall car maintenance tips is to inspect your vehicle’s brake pad thickness. Worn-out pads have a poor response time if you have to suddenly stop, especially when the road is covered with rain or even ice. Prepare for winter by replacing the brake pads once they’ve worn down to a thickness of four millimeters.
• Check fluid levels: Once the weather gets chilly in Hanford, CA, an essential car care tip is to refill your vehicle’s fluids. Pop open the hood to check the engine oil, brake fluids and coolant. Every car should have proper coolant levels to regulate the engine temperature, even in the winter. Antifreeze is also recommended because it prevents damage from dangerously low temperatures. Consider replacing the windshield washer fluid with a kind that won’t freeze in colder weather.
• Replace the wiper blades: Your vehicle’s wiper blades work overtime in the winter to keep the windshield free of rain. Without a proper set of wiper blades, the elements will accumulate on the windshield and obstruct your vision. Installing a new pair of wiper blades is a simple car care tip that requires very little money and effort. If your windshield is covered in streaks, stop by your local auto shop for new wiper blades.
• Crank up the heater: It’s been a few months since any of us turned on the heat. Before winter sets in, make sure hot air is flowing into the cabin. A proper HVAC system not only keeps you warm, but prevents cold temperatures from fogging up the windshield. If your heater isn’t functioning properly, that could mean something’s amiss under the hood. The best option is to bring your vehicle to the nearest repair shop for diagnosis.

If you detect a problem within your vehicle, don’t wait until it gets out of hand. Send your questions to the troubleshooting experts at AAA Sandoval Transmission. From brake pads to HVAC systems, our mechanics have the proper equipment to fix them all. Once the job is complete, we’ll provide additional fall car maintenance tips to help you outlast the cold season in Hanford, CA.

Categorised in: Car Maintenance

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