Spring cleaning signifies the start of a new season cycle. And it also means you have to prepare your car for the spring and summer season. To help you out, here is your spring car maintenance checklist.
In less than a month, the spring weather dissipates the coldness of the weather. And that only means one thing for most Americans and people from the Northern Hemisphere. No, we are not talking about Spring Break, although it's fun. We're talking about spring cleaning -this is when people are getting ready before the spring is in full swing. But, it's not just the house we should prepare; our vehicles should be too. This is an essential thing to do, especially if you're planning to go on long road trips for camping and spring break.
It's time to prep up your car for the coming seasons and take care of whatever issues it may have, big and small. So let's start our spring car maintenance checklist right away.
Task 1: Check Your Tires
The first thing on our spring car maintenance checklist is the tires. Tires are very crucial because they took much beating during the winter, primarily if you use your vehicle more often. Tires have to go through a lot of driving in icy and slippery roads. Not only that, the pressure inside the tire makes abrupt changes when the temperature drops. Tires either gain or lose a pound per square inch when it's wintertime. And as soon as the temperature rises, the pressure also changes. This can severely affect the elasticity of the tire, causing it not to hold much pressure.
Check the tire pressure before the next time you're going to use it. When the pressure seems off, you need to make some adjustments. To get to the correct pressure, take your car manual out and make sure that the pressure in your reading and the pressure in the manual have the same number.
It's also essential to check on the tire tread. As we mentioned, the tires take a beating when you drive it on cold, slippery roads. This makes the tires lose their gripping capability. Check on the tire treads by performing a penny test. To perform the penny test, insert a penny on the treads of the tires. Click on the link to watch a video on how to do the penny test.
Task 2: Check The Battery
A spring car maintenance checklist wouldn't be complete without checking the battery of your car. Just like your tires, the battery gets damaged, too, during the winter. It's because the freezing temperature makes the battery work double-time to prevent chemicals from reacting. And when the temperature slowly rises, battery fluids evaporate. This leads to corrosion and can do immense damage to your vehicle, which stops the car from functioning in perfect precision. Have your battery tested to prevent corrosion. If the battery is worn out, you need to replace the battery.
Task 3: Check The Wipers And Wiper Fluid
When people slow down during the winter, your vehicle is doing everything to keep up, including the wipers. The icy waters and snow are hard to wipe off, which makes the wipers dull. When springtime comes, it's essential to check the wipers to see if it still works properly. If it has become too brittle, you need to change it immediately.
When spring comes, it's also time for bugs and pollens to land on your windshield. That's why it's important to change your wiper fluid as well. Unlike ordinary water, wiper fluids can take away any debris effectively and preventing mineral buildup while providing shine to your windshield.
Task 4: Check Your Lights
There are a couple of reasons why your light doesn't shine as bright as it used to be after winter. First is that it may need some cleaning. You can check on the lights if it's gotten dirty during the winter season. Lights get hazy with frost, which is the primary reason for the minimized brightness. If you reckon that it's dirty, then a gentle cleaning does the trick. Make sure to clean all the lights - start with the head and then go at the back for the taillights. Use baking water and soda for the solution and a soft toothbrush for scrubbing. If this doesn't work, then it only means you need to change your lights.
Task 5: Check And Change The Engine Oil
Most people don't drive a lot during snowy and freezing days. And when that happens, the engine oil is left to sit for days. This time, the oil catches on impurities coming from the battery. This is a good thing for your car, but not for your engine oil, as this minimizes the oil's performance. Get rid of the impurities by replacing your oil with a fresh one. Do this right before the spring season starts so your engine can work at its optimum before you take those long, winding road trips. And don't forget to have fun.
While spring is fast approaching, it's better to prepare your vehicle for it. Use this spring car maintenance checklist so your spring and summer would be a fun, exciting, and hassle-free adventure. If you're looking for a pre-inspected vehicle in Utah or you're looking for some to inspect your car for resale, click on the link.