Winter is over and Spring is finally here. It’s time for your vehicle to get the same needed attention we give our home and closets during Spring cleaning. Many things you can do yourself while others are best to have your local mechanic service.
And now that the warm weather is here many people are wanting to go on long fun road trips and weekend getaways. So it’s important to get your seasonal maintenance done as soon as possible to avoid any future trouble that could cost you more in the long run.
Sunset Kia of Auburn wants your ride to be ready for Spring. Use these helpful tips for your spring and summer car care to keep your vehicle looking good and help it perform more efficiently along with better gas mileage.
The first thing you can do is give your car a good wash and wax.
1. Battery and Spark Plugs
Be sure and see if your battery connection needs a good cleaning if they have any corrosion build up. Also make sure the battery posts and connections are secure. If your battery is more than 2 years old it’s also a good time to change it out. Spark plugs go through a lot of wear and tear in the form of electrical and chemical erosion. It’s best to have them changed out after winter especially if they are more than 2 years old and your are planning any long road trips.
2. Road salt.
If you live where it snows a lot during winter season that most likely you have road salt build up on your vehicles undercarriage. Road salt eats away at your vehicles undercarriage and can also cause rust spots. You can go to a car wash that also cleans the undercarriage have have this washed off as often as needed.
3. Change your vehicles air filter.
To save on gas and keep your engine performance up it’s a good ideas to have your vehicle air filter changed. The air filter will prevent dust and other impurities from getting into the combustion chambers of the cylinders. It’s best to change the air filter every six months, and more often in dusty locations.
4. Check the tires.
It’s important to check your tire pressure after weather changes because a tires pressure will change for every 10 degree Fahrenheit change in the outdoor temperature.
5. Rotate the tires.
Get your tires rotated every 5,000 to 10,000 miles. This will greatly extend the tread life of your tires. As with all vehicles it’s best to check the owner’s manual for exact intervals. When all else fails a good rule is to rotate your tires after every oil change.
6. Check wiper blades.
Your wipers work hard all winter removing dirt and debris, including salt spray. Since the life expectancy of a wiper blade is six months to a year, check that the blades are making full contact with the windshield and have not dried out. Don’t wait for a heavy spring or summer rainstorm to discover your blades aren’t performing properly. Also, refill the wiper fluid reservoir.
5. Change the oil and oil filter.
Be sure to keep the oil changed as often as your owners guide recommends. When changing the oil it’s also important that your oil filter is also changed with each oil change because the filter will be dirty and will not keep the new oil clean.
7. Flush and fill your cooling system.
For most vehicles the cooling system should be flushed every 2 years, or every 24,000 miles which ever comes first.
8. Radiator and gas caps.
Check the radiator and gas cap to make sure they are a snug fit. Radiator caps should be replaced whenever the cooling system is flushes because these caps do not last forever. Check your gas cap to be sure it’s not damaged or lose. Damaged or lose gas caps can cause you to waste gas.
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