As we hit the height of summer, it’s important to maintain your car. Here is a quick checklist of things to check in your car to see if maintenance is needed. By doing a check to be sure everything is running smoothly, you can ensure your drive will be a safe one.
Under the Hood Essentials
This includes oil, oil filters, air filters, your battery, and coolant and wiper fluid. During the summer heat, coolant is especially important to the health of your vehicle. Be sure that the coolant level reaches the proper indicator line. Changing your oil is also important and should be done around 3,000-5,000 miles or every six months, whichever comes first. Other fluids to be sure you have enough of include transmission fluid, windshield wiper fluid, and power steering fluid.
Air Conditioning
Since we’re further into summer, it’s likely you’ve already used your AC, but it can be useful to check the refrigerant levels to ensure you don’t run out on a sweltering day.
Brakes
It’s important to test your brake performance year-round, especially after a long winter. Any strange sounds or feelings likely mean your brakes must be looked at.
Tires
Check your tire pressure before you go for any long drives. The temperature changes from winter to summer may have led to over or underinflation of your tires. Measure your tire PSI against the optimal PSI in your owner’s manual to be sure it’s where it should be. Also, check your tire tread, ensuring it hasn’t been worn down over the winter.
Wiper Blades
Windshield wipers are useful for several things in summer, from keeping your view clear of pollen to pushing away the worst of a summer rainstorm as you’re driving. Be sure that wipers aren’t loose or broken.
If these maintenance services are confusing or stressful, it’s easy to get help from experienced technicians. Beyond that, if your usual maintenance doesn’t seem to be fixing a problem you’re having, it’s important to have it diagnosed by professionals. Contact Siskiyou Import Services for a wide array of repairs on many import cars.