Is Your Car Ready for Next Summer?

All you need to do is look at the calendar to know that hot days of summer are not far ahead. This is perhaps the busiest time of the year for your automobile. You may be traveling on vacation or just having to deal with a lot of heavy traffic in hot weather are some things that you should check out before Memorial Day.

Lady Enjoying Vacation

You can start with the tires. These old reliable tires went through an awful lot of bad weather in January. The treads may have worn down to the point where they are possibly dangerous. Look for bald spots and also check for bubbles that may have formed on the sidewalls. Make certain that the tires are properly inflated to better handle the road.
 
Your car only needs to have the oil changed every 5000 miles. Last time you did this may have been in November. It is a good idea before the summer starts to have the oil checked and, if necessary, changed. The same can be done for any other fluids your automobile relies upon. Having the brake, power steering, and transmission fluids looked at is a good safety project. They may not need to be changed but checking makes certain. To be sure that everything is running efficiently on the you can also check the oil filter. If the filter is clogged it is going to have a negative impact on performance. It doesn’t cost that much to change the oil filter and it is worthwhile.
 
Nobody wants their car stall on the freeway in July. One way to keep this is to check the battery. This means more than just checking to be sure there is no corrosion on the top. The fluid level in the battery has to be where has to be to keep the battery in operation. Checking the electrical system of the car is a bit more than just the transmission and battery. Spark plugs are not much of a concern because these are now designed to last past a hundred thousand miles each. You should be looking at the cables to be certain they are properly insulated and there are no gaps or holes. Anyone who lives in hot weather areas knows how important the coolant is for the car. People living in snow country may ignore this, and it is dangerous to do that. Cars can very easily over heat in summer, even in Wisconsin.
 
Don’t forget the little things, either. Even though the days are longer there may still be times that you will be driving in the dark. The headlights have to function properly and it is not that difficult to check them. Summer brings showers and these often times can be rather heavy. The windshield wipers and the blades ought to be inspected. You may not have done anything as far as washing the exterior, but there still may be some salt residue on the body. It can encourage rust and putting the car through a car wash gets rid of all the salt and grime which built up during the wintertime. The air-conditioning has to be in good working order. If it isn’t, you and your passengers will find out early how overlooking the AC can be an uncomfortable mistake. Every car owner takes for granted the gas cap is going to be fine. You really should not make that assumption. It looks as if the gas cap is in less than good condition, it doesn’t cost that much to replace it. Any automotive supply store has this item on the shelf.

Sunny Day

Vacation travel is an opportunity to have a complete inspection of your car. Scheduling an appointment with an automotive service center makes a lot of sense. Any problem under the hood can quickly be solved by trained mechanics who have the proper equipment. They may in fact discover a problem you may not know existed. The attention can save major repair bills later.
 
The summer is meant to be a time of fun and great relaxation. You look forward to kicking back and enjoying the weather. There is no reason why you cannot do that. It is important that the car be ready for those extended trips you are looking forward to taking. Just a little bit of maintenance will see to it that you can enjoy those long summer nights and days.

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