Seasonal Car Maintenance

It is essential to maintain your car if you wish to keep it running smoothly. However, if you live in a state that experiences extreme weather conditions, you should plan for seasonal preventive maintenance. Admittedly, most modern vehicles are built to withstand varied weather conditions, but you need to prepare yourself for different weather seasons. Through that, you can minimize the risk of your car experiencing damages to its components.

Below are some different seasons and the type of maintenance that you can undertake for your car:

Spring Season

Due to the mild weather conditions during spring, it becomes ideal for you to plan for general maintenance for your car. In particular, you can use spring to prepare and plan for warmer months. Below are some maintenance tasks you can do during spring.

• Battery: You can request your mechanic to examine your car battery for fluid buildup, leakages, and other issues that can compromise its performance. In case the mechanic finds several severe issues, you can consider replacing your battery to provide your car with an enhanced power source.
• Oil: Ensure that you take your car to a professional mechanic at Herrin-Gear Chevrolet to change the oil in your oil at least after every six months. You should know that when debris and dirt accumulate in the oil reserve of your car, it makes the fluid useless. It is also vital for you to learn how you can check your oil to determine if you need to refill or change it.
• Windshield wipers: Rain, hail, sleet, and snow conditions during spring can contribute to the general wear and tear of your wipers and hinder them from performing properly. Therefore, you should have your blades examined to determine if you need to replace them. You should also examine your windshield fluid so that you can refill it if you find that it has fallen below the required level. If you do not check the level of your windshield fluid, your car can get scratches when you use the wipers.
• Brakes: You should take your car to an expert mechanic at Herrin-Gear Chevrolet to examine its brakes. In this case, the mechanic can look for noises such as grinding and squeals and the response time when you apply them. If your brakes show slow reaction or resistance time, then they might be damaged. You can request the mechanic to examine the brake drums and pads because if they are worn out, they can impede the ability of your car to stop.
• Tires: In case you installed snow chains during the winter months, then you should remove them during spring. After that, you should check the tire treads. Since the tire treads will become smoothers and shallow with time, you should consider changing them with new tires. In that way, your car will have better traction on the road and, in the end, prevent accidents. You should also ask the mechanic to check the balance of your tires to ensure that they work effectively.

Summer Season

The dust and heat associated with the summer months can contribute to several damages to your car. However, you can perform the following preventive maintenance measures so that you can minimize any issues during summer. Overheating is one of the issues that can make your engine breakdown during summer. Therefore, you should flush out the cooling system of your car and refill it with manufacturer-approved coolant products to keep it functional despite the heatwaves.

You should examine your car’s air conditioning systems to check for performance problems, including air quality, strength, and temperature. If you manage to identify the issues with your air conditioning system before your approach summer season, you can fix them in time and end up having a comfortable drive.

• Lights: Ensure that you inspect your car lights, and if you find burned bulbs, we can replace them. Also, clean dirt from all lenses, but you should not use a dry piece of rag when cleaning them because you can scratch them.
• Tires: You should have your tire pressure checked by professionals at Herrin-Gear Chevrolet during the winter months. Also, do not forget to examine if your spare tire and jack are in proper condition. In particular, you should check the tires for cuts at the sidewalls, uneven wear, and tread depth.

Winter and Fall Season

One of the most common issues that car owners experience during colder months is mechanical failure. Also, car owners face the impacts of hail storms and snowfall during such months. In such a case, as a car owner, you can undertake the following preventive maintenance measures before you enter the winter or fall season.

• Defroster: You should examine your heater or defroster to confirm if it is working before you enter the fall months. Arguably, a malfunctioning defroster system can make it challenging for you to drive your car when low-temperature seasons.
• Windows and windshield: You should clean your window shields and windows to hinder any safety issues. Dirty wipers will be ineffective in clearing snow and rainwater from your car windows. They can also make your window glass messier, thereby limiting your visibility as you drive. Therefore, before you approach winter, you should have your car window examined by a mechanic for dents and cracks.
• Engine performance: It is vital that you replace the filters of your can engine before winter to hinder dust and other types of debris from getting into the air ducts. After that, you can request the mechanic at Herrin-Gear Chevrolet to check your car engine for drivability issues, including diminished power and stalling. Checking the performance of your engine is necessary because winter conditions will force the engine to overwork, and moisture can build within it. Apart from replacing the filters, you should have your car oil changed.

As a car owner, you assume the responsibility of undertaking car maintenance throughout the year so that it can serve you for an extended period. However, by coming up with a proper schedule, you can easily carry out the required maintenance tasks. Remember that, apart from making sure that your car is in good condition and performs well, proper seasonal maintenance can protect you while you are driving.

The professionals at Herrin-Gear Chevrolet can help you keep up on your maintenance schedule, make repairs in a timely manner, and keep your vehicle in top shape. Contact our service center today for more information or to schedule your appointment!