Summers are meant for spontaneous adventures, day trips, and traveling as much as you can. As ready as you are for summer traveling your car might not be as ready. Prepping your car for summer is just the start, you’ll need to keep up with maintenance so your car doesn’t overheat, blow a tire, or damage your brakes. Keep these maintenance tips in mind when you’re traveling this summer.
You’ll want to make time to do regular maintenance regardless if you are traveling or not. Get oil changes regularly, you can find the suggested mileage in your owner's manual. Look under the hood every few weeks and make sure your fluid levels are full. These fluids include coolant, oil, transmission, and windshield wiper fluid. If you’re not sure where to look for these stop by your local mechanic who can show you where and what to look for.
While you’re under the hood take a look at your battery. Batteries tend to last 3-5 years depending on the climate you live in. If you live in a hotter climate your battery might not last as long. If your battery is older than 5 years consider getting a new one before your car forces you to get a new one. If you see corrosion or a weird material on your car battery its a sign that it needs to be clean. If you clean it and the corrosion come back then it’s time to get a new battery.
You can’t forget to care for your tires, they provide safety and traction on the road. The better your tires are the more control over the vehicle you will have. Simply do a walk through each tire and look for anything missing, damaged, or it is it low. Schedule your car to get its tires rotated, it’s best to get them rotated with every oil change. If you are checking your tire pressure at home be sure to do it when it is cold, heat and warm weather affect tire pressure and give you an inaccurate result.
Lastly, always have an emergency kit in your car just to be safe. Your safety kit should include things like a flashlight, first aid kit, jumper cables, emergency reflectors and flares, and most importantly a car jack. These basic items take up a small amount of space in your car and will leave you safe than sorry if anything were to happen.
Don’t let car troubles slow you down this summer. By following these tips you can prevent unexpected repairs and put your mind to ease knowing your car is in tip-top shape for the road. When you would like help with some of these maintenance items, bring your vehicle into Complete Automotive. Make your appointment today!