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Spring Vehicle Maintenance

The temperatures are rising, spring is in the air and weather’s getting a little unpredictable from one day to the next, with sunny skies today and thunderstorms tomorrow. Does your car have what it takes for spring and summer driving? Let’s do a quick checklist:

 

Wipers: You can only expect about a year out of even the best wipers before the sun’s UV rays and normal wear take their toll on them. If you’re seeing streaks on the windshield or if you are noticing strips or chips of rubber gone from the blades (or if they just seem cracked and dried out), go ahead and change them.

Cooling system service: At regular intervals, your cooling system should be flushed and refilled with fresh coolant, to protect the radiator and other components against corrosion. If you can’t remember how long it has been since this service was performed, we can quickly check the coolant’s condition and specific gravity with a hydrometer and make recommendations from there.

A/C service: Over the course of a year, even a car that’s only a few years old can lose as much as five percent of its refrigerant. We’ll check your system’s refrigerant level and top it off if needed, along with inspecting the compressor and drive belt, cleaning bugs and dirt from the condenser and checking all the system’s switches, relays, and connections.

Lights: Don’t wait for a cop to tell you that you’ve got a taillight out! We’ll check all your vehicle’s lights and will advise you as to whether your headlights’ plastic lenses are oxidized and in need of restoration.

Oil change: Can you remember how long it’s been since your oil was changed? Pull the dipstick; is the oil honey-colored and translucent? If so, it’s fairly clean. Oil that’s translucent but darker can go awhile longer, but oil that’s the color of black coffee and has an acrid smell is due for a change right away.

Spring and summer mean road trips and fun, so make an appointment with us at The Tire Terminal and let’s make sure your car’s in good shape before you pack up and hit the road!