It’s a no-brainer to winterize your vehicle when the temperatures drop, or summerize it in June. But what about when spring is approaching?
Vehicles go through a significant amount of wear and tear in the winter months. Rather than find your car damaged or end up in an accident resulting from poor maintenance, make those repairs and checkups once the weather gets warmer.
Now that spring’s just around the bend, what needs to be looked at?
- Alignment: Potholes especially can disrupt your vehicle’s alignment. If you find that your car or truck frequently pulls to one side, or can’t make a straight path when the steering wheel’s centered, the alignment is likely off. Additionally, not getting it checked out and fixed causes your tires to prematurely wear down.
- Tires: Winter, too, reduces your treads and tire pressure. As the weather warms up, you may notice that your tires aren’t worn evenly or have wear around the edges, so they may need to be repaired, rotated, or even replaced.
- Check Oil and other Engine Fluids: By spring, these all need to be full.
- Check Other Parts: Hoses, belts, spark plugs, and the battery can deteriorate or crack in cold or harsh climates. Have these checked out, and get any necessary replacements.
- Wash Your Car: Not just for aesthetic reasons, washing your car – including the exterior and underside – removes any salt and debris that accumulated in winter.
- Make Touchups: Get rust sanded off, and then paint over any scratches or exposed metal.
- Replace the Air Filter: If you didn’t realize it, your air filter sucks in sand and salt during winter. While this protects the engine, the filter itself gets clogged as a result.
- Check the A/C System: Once you turn on your air conditioning, you may find it’s not fully working. Before the heat becomes unbearable, check your A/C system to replace any worn compressor belts, to repair the compressor, and to recharge the refrigerant.
- Check the Cooling System: As well, if the cooling system isn’t properly maintained, your car will overheat in summer. Before this point, have the system’s hoses examined for bulges and leaks, while the coolant should be flushed and replaced.
A well-maintained vehicle is one step toward avoiding accidents in the road. However, even the most careful drivers find themselves at some point involved in a collision. If you’re trying to receive full compensation from an insurance company after an accident, have Trantolo & Trantolo’s lawyers take on your case.
