Summer is upon us, and we all can't wait to drive to our favorite destination for fun and sun. Is your vehicle ready for the challenge?
Before you gather up your friends and family for some long-awaited summer fun, make sure to give your car or truck some attention. It's had a rough winter too, and a little maintenance now can prevent a whole lot of hassle on your way to the beach. Here are a few important suggestions to get you started.
Get Busy With Your Tires
Tires are probably the most important part of your car. Performance and safety are dependent on them, and to ignore them is to, literally, risk your life and the lives of your passengers. So here are some tips to help make sure they are road-worthy for the summer months:
For those who have both winter and summer tires, be sure to inspect both sets when switching them.
Bubbles in the sidewalls signify that they have broken belts and will need to be replaced.
Look for signs of uneven wear. This will also result in tire replacement.
Be sure they are inflated to the correct PSI. Remember, pressures vary depending on the temperature outside, so keep an eye on them when the seasons change.
If you are unsure, let a professional take a look at them.
What About the Brakes?
Brakes go through a lot of abuse in the winter because of the constant fluctuation between temperature extremes, plus a good deal of extra use keeping those speeds down. Its important to give them a good inspection when the abuse is over to see how well they survived. This is what to do:
Remove the tire so you can get a proper look.
The best move is to remove the brake pads, checking for wear and cracking.
For those who might not know how to take things apart, check to see if the pad edges are crumbling or if there is severe discoloration, meaning they will need to be replaced.
The rotors and drums should also be checked for cracking.
As with tires, if you don’t know where or how to look for damage, then checking with your mechanic is the right thing to do.
While You’re on Brakes, Check the Fluid
Even brakes in perfect condition won’t work without brake fluid. This should be kept full and clean. Low levels and degradation can lead to reduced performance, and even complete brake failure. If you notice it is dark and dirty looking, immediately take it to an experienced mechanic to be flushed and replaced.
Get Cleaned Up!
Think about all the salt and sand that has blasted every nook and cranny of your vehicle this winter. Just washing the parts you see isn’t good enough…the underbody and wheel wells need a good hose-down as well.
The start of summer is just a good time to clean up. Consider giving the interior a once-over as well, vacuuming all the winter-grime, candy wrappers under the seats, and finger-prints you left on the wind-shield trying to rush the defrost.
Don’t have the time or energy to do all of this? There are reliable detailers that will be happy to do it for you. Don’t let rust set in and ruin your vehicle.
Have You Checked Your Oil?
Some with newer model vehicles can rely on their car’s computer to let them know if the oil needs attention. For the rest of us, we should be checking our oil regularly to keep an eye on the color and level. If it looks dark and nasty, you’ve probably waited to long to change it. Regular oil lasts 4-5k miles, while synthetics can go 6-7k. However, these are just guidelines that could vary due to conditions such as temperature and use.
Ultimately, you should be pulling the dipstick at least every couple of weeks to make sure everything is in order. Oil life is engine life, so its worth the extra effort.
How Does Your Coolant look?
Many suggest that coolant should be changed once a year for maximum performance, keeping the engine safe in winter and cool in summer. Here are things to look for:
Inspect coolant level: the overflow to the radiator should be full as well.
Test the mix: invest in tester strips so you can get the optimum water-to-coolant mix.
If you change your own, be wary of pets. Dogs are especially attracted to puddles of sweet coolant, which is deadly if they drink it.
Power Steering?
Power steering fluid is often forgotten, both by individuals and professionals during regular service visits. That’s why checking it every summer is a good habit.
Check to be sure it is full, as well as clean. If it looks dark brown, the fluid should be flushed and replaced to avoid total system failure (a particularly expensive procedure).
Don’t Forget the Automatic Transmission
If you drive with an automatic transmission, you might need to be keeping up with fluid levels. Some vehicles have fluid that never needs checking, but most need to be inspected from time-time to be sure it is at the correct level and still a bright shade of red.
Check your owner’s manual to find out the details as to level and mix. Letting it get too low can cause damage to your transmission, and too high can increase pressure to where shifting rough or slipping.
Battery Condition
Unless you have one that is sealed, you will need to periodically check the condition of your battery. Fluid levels should be topped off with distilled water, and there should be no visible leakage or discharge. This should not only be done at the beginning of the summer, but checked regularly. Giving it a quick look when inspecting the oil is a good habit to get into.
Change Your Windshield Wipers
Your wipers have taken a beating all winter long, and may be too tired keep your windshield clean. Additionally, wipers meant specifically for winter use often get too soft in the summer heat, rendering them useless in a downpour.
Most of us have lost a wiper at a bad time (is there ever a good time?), so its worth the small amount of expense and time it takes to switch out to a new set.