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The spring season is nearly here and while many of us may be ready for the warmer weather, our vehicles might need some help adjusting to the change. Before the winter season approaches, many people get the oil changed, tires checked and other pre-winter maintenance completed on their vehicles. But winter takes a heavy toll on cars, often causing hidden damage that can be costly or dangerous. So before the summer fun begins, now is the best time to assess any new issues your vehicle might have taken during the winter months, before it becomes a serious problem.
1. Deep clean the Inside and Outside of your Vehicle
Wintertime driving will coat the bottom of your car with salt, sand and other grime that can cause corrosion. Corrosion can lead to rust problems, which can make your car much harder to resell or even dangerous to drive.
Spend a few extra dollars for the undercarriage power wash at the local car wash or spray the car’s bottom with your own hose. If possible, use a car jack to raise the vehicle for a more thorough cleaning. There’s no need to use soap or any other cleaner.
While you’re at it, open the hood and wipe down the engine with a soft mitt and soapy water. Remove all the leaves and debris that can find their way into the car, and remove any crusty white residue off the battery with a toothbrush, baking soda and water. The residue — caused by corrosion — can eventually prevent your car from starting. The cleaning also helps prepare the battery for the stress of warmer temperatures.
Salt and sand can also damage the car’s paint. Give your car a thorough cleaning and wax it with a paste or liquid wax, as sprays don’t clean as well.
Scrub the bottoms of doors, which can get coated with grime. Car owners should also clean the window channels, and apply a silicone spray, which repels dirt and lubricates the surfaces so the windows will operate smoothly.
Use a steam cleaner — you can rent one for $20 at Home Depot — or apply a rug-cleaning spray to remove all the salt from the car’s inside. Salt can break down some fabrics and cause rips or tears when feet grind against them.
2. Replace Windshield Wiper Blades
Anyone who has had a windshield wiper peel off during a heavy spring rain knows that the icy cold of winter can be hard on blades. It’s recommended you change your vehicle’s wiper blades every spring and fall season. Even if your blades look OK, replace them if they start to leave streaks on your windshield.
An auto technician can change them, or you can easily replace them yourself. Just check the owner’s manual for your car to find the correct size.
3. Inspect, Rotate, and Align your Tires
Being the only thing separating you and your vehicle from the asphalt, tires are an extremely important factor when it comes to driving. And winter driving can be extremely harsh on your tires. First things first, if you have a set of winter tires and snow is no longer in the forecast, go ahead and switch over to your all-season or performance tires.
Inspect the traction and tread on each tire, and check each the tire pressure while you’re at it. Ensure there is no significant wear and the tire pressure is filled to where it should be, as the spring season will bring rain, that combined with a low or balding tire, can lead to some serious sliding on the road. Cold, winter weather can cause tires to be underinflated and the onset of warm weather can overinflate them, and can even cause cracking in the tire.
Potholes are one of the unfortunate elements of winter driving and they can certainly take their toll on your car. Have your tire alignment checked in the spring, and if you kept your all-season or all-weather tires on over the winter, consider having them rotated as well. If your wheels are out of alignment, it can cause a host of problems, including stress on your car’s suspension, uneven tire wear and other potentially dangerous issues.
4. Check your Brakes
Road salt can impact the condition of your brakes. It can corrode metal and your brake pads rely on clean, properly lubricated metal frames to work properly. Save yourself a step and get this checked while your car is already elevated having its tires changed at a service center. You can often bundle the brake inspection cost with the tire inspection.
5. Check and Change your Oil
Many cars use thinner oil during the winter than in the summer. Thinner oil flows more easily during cold weather and ensures that your car starts more easily. When warmer spring weather arrives, it’s wise to have an oil change and use thicker oil.
Even if your car uses multi-viscosity oil, as many do, spring is a great time to change it. Winter is hard on engines, and the oil and filter become dirty. Changing the oil will ensure your engine performs well and lasts longer. That means less chance of a breakdown in steaming hot weather of summer.
6. Check your Other Fluids
Multiple fluids are needed for your car to function properly. Winter weather can deplete some fluids — especially windshield wiper fluid — more quickly, so top them off yourself if they’re too low. A service station will also do the job for $25 or so. You should change your oil, brake fluid and transmission fluid every 5,000 miles or so, regardless of the season.
Many people don’t find out that fluids are low or dirty until the fluids fail and the car is damaged. There usually aren’t many obvious warning signs. When your car is serviced, ask the technicians to check the following fluids:
- Power steering
- Brake
- Transmission
- Windshield washer solvent
- Antifreeze/coolant
7. Check your Air Conditioner
Test your air conditioner by running it for about 15 minutes once a month, even in winter.
No, it won’t hurt it. In fact, it might make it last longer. Running the air conditioner ensures the system stays fresh and active. Plus, you’ll find out if the air conditioner doesn’t work before the blazing hot days of summer.
Your car technician can also check the system’s pressure readings and other elements.
While you run your air conditioner, take a few sniffs inside your vehicle with the doors closed. Does your car smell funny? Many car owners don’t know that there is an air filter in the car’s cabin. The filter is easy to locate and change yourself. NAPA gives a step-by-step guide. If you’re not handy, ask your car technician to change it.
8. Inspect Under the Hood
Inspect your vehicle’s belts, hoses and air filters. Many of those crack or become loose during the winter months, especially if rodents and other small animals crawl into engines to stay warm. If the belts or hoses are cracked or damaged in any way, you must have them repaired.
Make sure the air filters are clean and working properly so your air conditioning is ready for the approaching warm weather.
Also be sure to inspect your vehicle’s battery. Car owners always think batteries die during the winter. They do, of course, but they also die in summer. Many national auto care chains offer free battery testing, so you can find out whether you need a new one before the battery fails.
9. Swap Out Emergency Supplies
You won’t need a parka and a blanket anymore. Spring is the season to double check that the batteries are good on your flashlight and that you have a few bottles of water in the vehicle, just in case.
Also replenish flares if they were used during winter and make sure all the components of your tire jack are in the car. If you don’t have a spare or a jack, determine if all the parts of the patch kit are in working order.
10. Assess your Technology for Updates
If you have an older vehicle, you may want to see what new aftermarket technology is available to improve your systems.
If your car is newer, you can check with your dealer to make sure that all your tech and software is up to date.
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