Preparing Your Car for Spring

The winter months bring extended exposure to cooler temperatures, chemically treated roads and gigantic potholes, all of which can wreak havoc on the condition of your car. Because winter can be so treacherous on your vehicle, spring car maintenance in Chino, CA is a necessity. Your local auto body shop is here with five helpful car maintenance tips to help you make sure your car is ready for the return of spring:

• Battery check: After making it through another winter, it is also a good idea to test the condition of your car’s battery. In addition to making sure it is still fully charged, all of the connections should be cleaned and secured tightly, and the battery should be firmly mounted.
• Windshield maintenance: It isn’t uncommon for cars that are subject to winter conditions to end up with damaged windshields. What starts out as a small chip in the winter could develop into a large crack that obscures your sightline while you are behind the wheel. Even worse, a badly cracked windshield can actually begin to compromise the structure of your entire vehicle, as the seatbelts, airbags and overall roof stability could also be affected. If there are any chips or cracks in your windshield, make sure to have them repaired, or have your windshield replaced right away.
• Check on rubber parts: Continued exposure to chilly temperatures can harden and damage the rubber components of your car. For this reason, it’s important to check all of the rubber hoses and belts to make sure they haven’t hardened and subsequently softened, or developed leaks and blisters.
• Oil changes: Making sure to have your oil and oil filter changed on schedule is one of the simplest ways to preserve the condition of your engine. When oil changes are neglected, your engine becomes more susceptible to damage and poor performance, and you are likely to get worse gas mileage. You should also check on the levels of the coolant, power steering, brake and transmission fluids, and have them flushed and replaced if you have reached the recommended service intervals listed in your vehicle’s owner manual.
• Check your tires: If you were keeping a close eye on the state of your tires in the winter, you should continue to do so regularly as you prepare your car for the spring. The air pressure in your tires, including your spare, should be checked at least once a month to maintain the correct level. Additionally, make sure that there is enough tread on each tire, and that there are no cuts or gashes on the sidewall that could lead to a potential accident while you are driving.

To ensure your car makes it out of the winter unscathed, follow these car maintenance tips in Chino, CA and make sure to contact Gabriel’s Automotive & Towing for all of your spring car maintenance. No matter how light or heavy the winter weather may be, routine maintenance can help prevent major headaches down the line, and skipping this maintenance could lead to larger issues that linger into the spring months and beyond. Call to schedule the spring car maintenance your vehicle needs, or just stop by and see us today!

Categorised in: Car Maintenance

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