6 Simple Spring Care Car Tips

Spring is in the air. The warmer weather is a good time to get your car ready for any road trips and weekend getaways you have planned. Here are six simple steps to ensure that your vehicle is prepared for what lies ahead.

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Thoroughly Clean Your Car Inside And Out

+ A thorough wash and complete detail is the most important thing to do with your car once the winter ends. Often you’ll discover that a huge amount of road grime, debris, and — worst of all — salt build-up on your car. A thorough cleaning, including the engine bay and beneath the car, to get rid of this accumulated dirt. A normal wash instead of a deep cleaning runs the risk of this build-up to ruin your paint finish and create pockets of rust that can lead to serious problems later.

Check Your Tire Pressures

+ As air temperatures get cooler during the winter, tire pressures decrease, which probably caused you to fill up your tires during the winter months. But as temperatures get warmer in the spring, tire pressures can rise. If the pressure increases past your manufacturer specification (because you added air during the winter), it can lead to overinflation, which can cause premature tire wear.

Inspect Your Wiper Blades

+ As spring starts and temperatures warm up, check your wiper blades for any signs of cracking or wear. The wiper itself could wear dramatically over the winter due to ice buildup or other issues on your windshield.

Check Under The Hood

+ Do a thorough check under your hood to make sure your car’s engine made it through the winter without problems. Specifically, check belts and hoses to ensure the cold temperatures haven’t rendered them brittle or heavily worn. Check your coolant to make sure it’s not too old — an important factor for avoiding overheating as temperatures gradually climb.

Check Alignment And Suspension

+ Winter is known for being harsh on roads, which can be harsh on your vehicle. If you find yourself frequently traversing roads with huge potholes or rocks that have emerged from the asphalt, it could ruin your car’s alignment or damage suspension components. Our advice: If you’ve taken your car to a mechanic to check under the hood, ask for a quick suspension and alignment check to make sure nothing is too far outside the manufacturer’s specifications.

Check Your Filters

+ Most manufacturers recommend changing the cabin air filter every 30,000 miles. Just as you need to breathe clean air, so does your car’s engine. Spring is a good time to check the air filter to ensure that the old one hasn’t been clogged by dirt or other impurities. A filter contaminated by oil or other fluids can also be a sign of larger engine problems.