If you were to look out the window to see our late March snow on the ground you might not be thinking about spring but it is definitely on its way. And soon enough, summer will be here and time to put the top down and have some fun.
But before you start planning your summer road trip there are a few things you should do to revive your winter-weary automobile in preparation for warm weather.
The smartest thing you can do is take your car to an ASE certified repair service (hint: Sallas Auto Repair) for a check up. They can catch those little problems before they become more costly repairs.
- Check out the battery. Winter is hard on them and they can become drained.
- Look over belts, clamps and hoses for signs of wear, cracking or fraying.
- Check the brakes. They can become corroded by cold winter conditions and salt on the road.
- How was your AC working last summer? If you remember it was a hot one so get that AC inspected before you need it.
- Flush and refill your cooling system and check for leaks.
- Inspect your tires for wear. The old stand-by still works: insert a penny into several tread grooves across the tire. If part of Lincoln’s head is always covered by the tread, you have more than 2/32″ of tread depth remaining. According to most states’ laws, tires are legally worn out when they have worn down to 2/32″ or less of remaining tread depth.
- The stop and go traffic of summer can be hard on your engine so have hard starts, rough idles or stalling corrected before then.
- If you’re nearing time for an oil and oil filter change go ahead and include in your check up.
- Replace filters like the air, fuel, or PCV.
- Check your oxygen sensor. The sensor helps set the fuel mix going into your engine so it’s important for good gas mileage. A faulty one can cause too much gas to be used and reduce your mileage by up to 40%.
Sallas Auto Repair is here for all your automotive maintenance and repair needs. We’re more than ready for summer so bring your car in today and let us help you get ready for road trips, picnics and sunny drives to work. You can set up your appointment for either of our locations online so come in and see us! And don’t forget to sign up for our e-coupon club.