Spring Cleaning for Your Car

Spring cleaning for your car has a different meaning than spring cleaning for your home. While a thorough cleaning of your car’s interior and exterior surfaces is always a good thing, we will be focusing here on the many mechanical systems that need to be maintained so they can reliably take your car into the spring and through the heat of the summer. Let’s now check out your automotive spring cleaning list, which your mechanic will be happy to take care of for you:

Change your oil and your oil filter

As the saying goes, “fresh oil is cheap engine insurance.” In addition to lubricating and cooling the hot moving parts of your engine, your oil has additives that reduce friction and improve your fuel economy. Over time, the additives wear out and the amount of dirt, grime, and metal particles in your oil increase, so changing it at the recommended intervals will keep your engine in very good condition. Be sure to change the oil filter whenever you change the oil, to keep your oil as clean as possible in between changes. And remember to check your oil dipstick at regular intervals and add oil if necessary.

What can happen if you don’t change your oil and filter when you should? Overheating, excessive wear, sludge, and the possibility of an expensive engine rebuild!

Service your transmission

Your automatic transmission transmits your engine’s power to the drive wheels. It is a very complex piece of machinery and can be extremely expensive to repair. Your transmission operates under a wide range of conditions that can wear out the transmission fluid. Keep it in great shape by having it serviced, and the transmission fluid changed when necessary.

Did you know that over 90 percent of all automatic transmission failures are due to overheating and fluid contamination? Dirty and contaminated fluid can cause erratic shifting, excessive chatter, and premature wear. Your transmission should be serviced according to the recommendations in your owner’s manual.

Service your cooling system

The coolant-water mixture in your radiator circulates throughout your engine, absorbing excess heat and releasing it to the atmosphere. It also protects the system from corrosion. Over time, the coolant mixture can lose its protective and heat-absorbing properties. This can result in clogged cooling passages and engine overheating. In fact, cooling system failure is the number one cause of engine-related breakdowns. This can lead to leaky radiators and water pumps, stuck thermostats, and plugged heater cores. The coolant mixture should be changed according to the recommendations in your owner’s manual. Remember to check the condition of your cooling system hoses, as well as the engine’s drive belts.

Service your braking system

Your brake fluid may look fine, but are you aware that it can absorb moisture, right from the air? It’s true, and that moisture can cause corrosion inside your braking system, which can lead to damage and potential brake failure. Check your owner’s manual and have your brake fluid changed when recommended. If your brake pads are worn, replace them. Also check your parking brake for proper operation.

Check your air conditioning system

If you’re like most people, you rarely turn on your A/C when the weather gets cool. But you definitely want to be sure it works when it gets hot out! Your mechanic can check out your air conditioning system to make sure that everything is in good working order, so you can enjoy a cold blast of air whenever summer temperatures hit their peak!

Check your tires

If you reside where winter is severe enough to require snow tires, have them removed and your summer tires mounted. Do a visual inspection for adequate tread depth and any tire damage, and have their balance checked. Check the air pressure in each tire and inflate to the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressures. This should eliminate the possibility of excessive heat building up and causing a blowout.

Check your battery

A cold winter can be tough on your battery, especially if it’s a few years old. Running the air conditioning in the heat of the summer can also put a major load on it. Have your mechanic check the condition of your battery, along with the rest of your charging system, to make sure that there are no unpleasant electricity-related surprises this summer!

Check your wiper blades

Winter takes its toll on your wiper blades. They can get covered in snow, frozen to your windshield, or gunked-up with salt or sand. They can also get torn up trying to clear frozen precipitation from your windshield. If this sounds like your wipers, it’s probably time to replace them. When you do, your wipers will have no problem clearing your windshield without any streaks when those April showers come your way!

Check your lights

To both see and be seen, be sure that all of your essential exterior lights work properly, including:

• Headlights
• Taillights
• Brake lights
• Turn signals
• Backup lights
• Fog lights (if so equipped)

Now you can hit the road for all of your warm-weather adventures with confidence and peace of mind.