Fall Car Care Month
October is Fall Car Care Month, and auto shops around the country are gearing up to get your car running smoothly. Regular maintenance and repair is the best way to ensure maximum safety and reliability of your vehicle, and can save you money in the long run. It's particularly important to stay on top of car repairs as the weather changes. Heat, long trips, and heavy loads during the summer months can lead to a lot of wear and tear on your vehicle. Fall Car Care Month is a great time to repair summer damage and get your car winter ready. Here is our list of Maintenance necessities for October:
Under the Hood:
Change your Oil- Have your oil changed, especially if you're approaching the time for a 30,000 mile full service. Oil thickens as temperatures drop, so it's important to make sure your oil is the right viscosity for cold weather.
Check Battery- Extreme summer heat can burn up you car batteries, so it's important to test it as the weather cools down. If your battery is reaching the end of its lifespan, go ahead and replace it. If not, make sure that all connections are secure and corrosion free.
Top Off Coolant - Make sure that your coolant is clean and full, you don't want to get stuck without antifreeze during the winter months.
Belts & Hoses- All belts and hoses should be checked for wear and tear. They're more likely to be damaged during the colder months, so you want to make sure they're in good condition.
Tires
Check Tire Pressure (and your spare) - As the weather changes, so does your tire pressure. A tire's pressure drops by about one pound per ten degrees of temperature. A properly inflated tire can reduce fuel emissions by 3.5% and prevent premature wear on tire tread.
Inspect Tread – More tread means more traction in ice and snow, so make sure that you replace any tires that are showing tread wear.
Optimize Visibility:
Inspect wiper blades & replace if necessary - Visibility is crucial—especially in snowy or icy conditions. Inspect your wiper blades and replace if worn. They typically last for 6 to 8 months.
Check defroster & heater – Both help prevent frost buildup on your windshield and improve visibility. Fill up wiper fluid - Cold winter months are going to be a lot colder if you have to get out and scrape your car every morning. So make sure that your wiper fluid is full and ready to go.
Inspect all lights and replace bulbs if necessary- It's important to have functioning lights before the time changes. You don't want to get stuck in the dark on your way home from work.
Safety First:
Stock your trunk with a safety kit - Drinking water, a flashlight, a small shovel, a blanket, warm clothes, an ice scraper, salt, and jumper cables are all great things to have in a winter emergency.
According to the Car Care Council, 8 out of every 10 vehicles failed at least one component of their inspection during last year's Fall Car Care Month—that's an 80% failure rate of vehicles on the road! Help us lower that statistic and make the roads safer by bringing your car in for a tune-up during Fall Car Care Month. You can give us a call to schedule an appointment or schedule online anytime!
For more information about Fall Car Care Month, you can visit www.carcare.org/car-care-guide.