Vehicle Maintenance Tips
Winter may still seem months away, but that’s no reason to get complacent. Summer weather can put a lot of wear on a vehicle. While things may seem fine right now, you don’t want to get caught unprepared when colder weather arrives.
Here are six simple things to check on your vehicle before winter comes roaring in.
1. Check Wiper Blades
As a general rule of thumb, you should replace your wiper blades every six months or so. Don’t wait for cracks and streaks to become visible. Once wiper blades start to go, they tend to get worse quickly. Keep ahead of any issues by changing your blades regularly.
2. Test Your Heat
You’ve not used your heat much all summer. Before it starts getting too cold, make sure everything is working as it should. This is more about comfort. You want to make sure your defrosting system works as well, so you don’t have to struggle with frosted windows first thing in the morning.
3. Examine Your Tires
Just from a simple safety standpoint, you should be checking your tires regularly. Look for any signs of wear and year, bulges, bald spots, and reduced tire tread depth. This is also an ideal time to check your tire pressure. As temperature drops, so does tire pressure.
4. Check the Battery
Before winter sets in, make sure your battery connections are clean, corrosion-free, and securely attached. Winter can be challenging for batteries, so you want to make sure your battery and its connections are in top condition. This is also an excellent time to make sure your charging system is working as well as it should.
5. Test Your Lights
As the days get shorter and nights get longer, you want to be confident your headlights, high beams, tail lights, brake lights, fog lights, and directionals are all working correctly. Make sure no lights have burned or shorted out. It’s also a good idea to check for cloudy light covers. Cloud lights are harder to see at night. In most cases, a good cleaning solution should take care of the issue.
6. Have Your Brakes Checked
While you can probably detect many upcoming brake issues through cues such as squeaking or soft performance, it’s still recommended to have your brakes checked by an experienced mechanic before winter arrives. Have them check the rotors and pads for signs of wear as well as brake fluid levels, followed by a road test.
When road conditions get dodgy, you want reliable brakes on your side.
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Call LaScuola MotorWorks to schedule an appointment for quality automotive inspection, maintenance, and service. With locations in Randallstown and Eldersburg/Sykesville, LaScuola has satisfied customers all over Baltimore, including Ellicott City, Owings Mills, Reisterstown, Westminster, Finksburg, Marriottsville, Granite, and even as far away as Towson.
Schedule service with LaScuola MotorWorks today because your vehicle deserves the best care possible.