As each season changes during the year, your car endures a variety of weather and road conditions, which may impact its performance and longevity. Regular preventative maintenance will help keep your vehicle in good working condition and prevent expensive repairs. By understanding specific seasonal car maintenance tips, you will help ensure safe, reliable, and efficient vehicle performance, regardless of the weather outside. Here are five preventative maintenance measures to utilize as the seasons change.
1. Inspect and Maintain Your Tires
Tires are the first point of contact between your vehicle and the road, meaning they are one of the key components to upkeep while temperatures change. As seasons change, tire pressure can change drastically because air contracts in cool temperatures and expands with heat. Under-inflation results in increased rolling resistance, harming fuel economy and vehicle handling; over-inflated tires will wear out faster than properly inflated tires.
- Check your tire pressure at least once a month, but especially during seasonal changes.
- Rotate your tires every 5,000-7,000 miles to promote more even tire wear.
- Consider changing to winter (or all-season) tires for colder climates to help with grip and safety.
Simply keeping up with proper seasonal tire maintenance will not only prolong tire life but also improve traction as well, which is important when driving in rain, snow, or icy conditions.
2. Prepare Your Battery for Cold and Heat
Car batteries react quickly to extremely hot or cold temperatures. Subzero temperatures in winter can reduce capacity in a car's battery, making it much more difficult to start. In the summer heat, evaporation can dry out the battery's fluid and cause internal corrosion to take place even more rapidly. If you take the time to do seasonal checks on your battery, you will not have to worry about getting stranded.
- Get your battery tested in the winter and summer to check its current capacity and charging condition.
- Clean off any corrosion at the terminal; this will help it make a better connection.
- Replace your battery every 3–5 years or at the first signs of weakness, like a slow crank of the engine.
By adding battery maintenance to your routine overall, you will lessen your risk of some kind of unexpected breakdown during a change of seasons.
3. Check Fluids and Filters Regularly
Fluids are essential for the proper functioning of your vehicle. Fluid levels can drop and filters can get dirty, creating problems for your vehicle and causing strain on your engine.
- Verify coolant levels and antifreeze protection before winter so you don't run the risk of your engine freezing.
- Change engine oil and oil filters as per your owner's manual, including using a winter-grade oil as the weather turns colder.
- Make sure windshield washer fluid is topped up with winter-safe formulations.
- Change the air filter to improve airflow and efficiency and comfort in the cabin—especially during the pollen-heavy spring months.
Fluids and filters add protection to your vehicle all year round, but making sure they are all in good shape during a seasonal change helps ensure your vehicle operates properly under different conditions.
4. Focus on Brakes and Suspension
With ever-changing weather, including wet roads in spring and fall and hard icy roads in winter, your brakes and suspension face more taxing conditions. Preventative inspections can help ensure important systems are reliable.
- Have your brake pads, rotors, and calipers checked for wear every season.
- Be sure to notice any squeaking, grinding, or loss of stopping power, which might provide an indication that you have brake problems.
- Check suspension parts, like shocks or struts, to enable smooth handling and stability while travelling on changing terrains.
- By being proactive with brake and suspension maintenance, you are increasing safety—and even avoiding some larger mechanical issues in the future.
5. Winterize and Summer-Proof Your Vehicle
One of the best ways to prepare for seasonal extremes is to make individualized changes specific to the weather. Winterizing your vehicle doesn't create a value to those in a more moderate climate, but inverter prepping is just as important in summer.
Winter: Keep an emergency kit with some blankets, an ice scraper, jumper cables, and extra washer fluid in your trunk. Make sure your heating system in your vehicle is functioning well, and switch to winter tires for better traction.
Summer: Check your AC system to confirm it's cooling and the radiator and cooling fans work well, and check your tire pressure a bit more frequently since the air is expanding.
By modifying or adapting your vehicle care routines to reflect the environment you operate within, you will be more able to remain safe and comfortable year-round.
Bringing It All Together
Weather changes can create problems for vehicle owners, but preventative maintenance is your best first step. If you take care of your tires, batteries, fluids, and brakes and follow whatever seasonal maintenance is needed, you can help keep your vehicle in good shape and save money at the same time! Taking preventative measures to keep your vehicle working efficiently can go a long way, whether you are dealing with winter road conditions or simply handling summertime sedans.
If you’re asking for professional assistance in dealing with seasonal maintenance, local professionals such as Cottleville car repair services can provide the appropriate inspections and procedures for getting your vehicle ready for its seasonal journey.
Car maintenance can take time, and you may want to start with the latest car winterization procedures or seasonal tire maintenance procedures, but knowing your vehicle is in good shape should bring peace of mind while you/car/winter go who-knows-where. They all depend on you/your car being in good condition and with quality services (sorry, direct advertising!). A properly maintained vehicle may not only ensure your safety, but it can also provide comfort and reliability you rely on daily.