October is Fall Car Care Month
The change of the season is the right time to perform some preventative maintenance. Winter is tough on your car. During the fall season, when the weather is still warm, it is easy to perform basic maintenance tasks to prepare your car for winter. October is Fall Car Care Month and we’ve listed some easy fall car care tips to follow.
Tire To-Do’s
Tires are often neglected during routine maintenance. However, you need to perform various tire checks before the arrival of winter.
- Check Tire Pressure
You need to maintain recommended air pressure in all tires. As the weather becomes cold, the air pressure in tires starts dropping. With every 10 degree-drop in temperature, the air pressure in the tire is reduced by one PSI. You need to check the air pressure in tires regularly. Driving your car on underinflated tires can increase fuel consumption, leading to an increase in fuel expenses. Also, it causes tires to wear unevenly, which could lead to early tire replacement. Maintaining the right air pressure in tires is extremely important.
- Change to Winter Tires
All-season tires are not suitable for winter, despite the name. The tread rubber of all-season tires starts hardening below seven degrees. Below seven degrees, all-season tires roll like a hardened plastic ball on snow, providing zero traction. On the other hand, winter tires offer good traction on snow-covered roads, which increases safety while driving.
Inspect the Engine
You need to ensure that the engine is offering the best performance and fuel efficiency. If you hear unusual engine noise, get the engine checked by a professional. Also, check the engine oil. Also, if the engine oil color is black, you need to change engine oil. Also, you need to maintain the recommended engine oil level for optimal engine performance and protection.
Examine Lighting and Windshield Wipers
As the weather gets cold, condensation on the windshield is a common occurrence. Before winter strikes, you need to ensure that the wiper blades are in good condition. Inspect the wiper blades for cracks or signs of excessive wear and tear. If the wipers cannot clean the windshield effectively, get a new set of wiper blades. Similarly, lights are important to see and be seen. Check all exterior lights and replace any burned-out bulbs. Also, clean the light covers. You need to check headlights especially, brake lights, turn indicators and fog lights during Fall Car Care Month.
Check Your Vehicle’s Fluids
Checking fluid conditions and levels is an important part of car maintenance. Check the brake fluid and transmission fluid. Make sure you engine’s oil level is at the upper-level mark. You also need to check the coolant level in the radiator. During fall car care, add more antifreeze to the radiator. You need to maintain a higher concentration of coolant in the radiator during winter. This will prevent any starting problems due to the freezing of the engine.
Preventative maintenance can ensure trouble-free driving in winter. These basic fall car care tips focus on essential systems that could cause a significant problem in winter.
