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Maintenance Check List
Summer Check List
You've got your suntan lotion, a giant cooler and three cheap novels -- you're ready
for a summer road trip. You may be prepared, but are you up to date on your summer
auto maintenance? Sure, auto maintenance is the last thing on your mind, but it'll
jump to the front pretty quickly if you're on the side of the road. Spend an afternoon
on some simple auto maintenance procedures and you'll thank yourself in the end.
Radiator Flush: The coolant in your radiator doesn't last forever.
Over time it can break down and start to corrode the inside of your radiator. This
can lead to cooling problems and radiator repair. A radiator flush once a year is
cheap insurance against radiator repairs.
Replace Your Air Filter: You should replace your air filter twice a year,
so now's a good time to get that 5-minute job out of the way.
Tire Checks: Summer traveling could mean driving in the rain.
The tread on your tires must be adequate for rainy weather or you could end up in
a ditch, or worse. Checking the tread depth on your tires take one minute. While
you're at it, you should check your tire pressure, too.
Replace Your Windshield Wipers: Winter weather can be brutal to your
windshield wipers, making them almost useless if you get caught in a summer rain
shower. Replace them at the beginning of the summer and you won't have to worry.
Inspect Your Brakes: It's a good idea to inspect your brakes
twice a year just to be sure everything is up t snuff. Car safety should always
be a top priority. Go ahead and check your brake fluid while you're
at it.
Check Your Battery: Corrosion is very likely to build up during
winter weather driving. Check your battery posts and cables to ensure you'll have
no starting problems.
Check Your Headlights: Sometimes you don't notice that you have a bulb
out. Now's a good time to take a look to see if you need to replace a headlight
bulb. Not only is it unsafe to drive with one headlight, you can get a ticket!
Remember that car safety begins with you. It also ends with you, since you're the
one driving the car. That means not doing anything stupid like speeding or driving
drunk. Do all of us a favor and skip those dangerous activities.
Winter Check List
Winter is upon us, and while safety is an important consideration all year long,
there are certainly some auto maintenance jobs and safety checks that are specific
to chilled air and winter weather that are a good idea to check into before we're
knee deep in the season. To be sure you don't end up a road popsicle, or even worse
end up with your holiday budget on ice thanks to unexpected repairs, have a look
under the hood to be sure things are ship shape. As with any change of season, you
should go to your regular maintenance log to make sure you are up to date on the maintenance
items that should be taken care of throughout the year.
Check your antifreeze
Your antifreeze (the juice that goes in your radiator) is an essential part of your
car's winter protection.Your car contains a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze. Make
sure the level is full and the mixture is close to 50/50. Many service stations
and repair centers will check this mixture free, or you can buy a tester for around
$5.
Check your tires
The last line of defense between you and an oak tree are your tires. Winter is not
the time to get cheap about your tires, so take the time to check the tread depth.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Board says you need at least 2/32" of
depth to be safe. It's been my experience, especially in winter weather, that anything
less than 4/32" (1/8") be replaced soon. The old penny test is as reliable as anything
to find out whether your treads are ready for winter action. Also, be sure to check
your tire pressure. Believe it or not, they lose a little pressure when it gets
cold, so pump 'em up.
Check your wipers
Wipers? What do your windshield wipers have to do with winter weather? Two things.
First, anything falling from the sky is going to end up on your windshield, and
unless you have a team of beavers riding on the hood of your car the task of clearing
it falls on your wipers. Second, in areas that see snowfall in the winter, you're
also driving through that soupy muck that's left on the road once the highway department
does their thing. This muck includes a lot of sand and salt, both of which end up
on your windshield. It takes wipers that are in top shape to keep your windshield
clean and safe.
Check your windshield washer fluid
You'll be using lots of washer fluid as you try to keep your windshield sparkly.
A mile stuck behind an 18-wheeler will have your windshield looking a Desert Storm
Humvee if you're low on washer fluid. *Tip: Don't fill your washer fluid reservoir
with anything except washer fluid, it won't freeze!
Cold weather safety should be a concern for anybody living in a cold climate. These
tips will give you the upper hand when Old Man Winter tries to put a chill on your
winter travels. If you're extra curious about staying generally safe in winter weather,
the National Weather Service has an excellent
Winter Safety & Awareness
guide that covers everything from how storms brew to a list of history's billion
dollar winter wonders
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