Prepare Your Vehicle for Spring
Listen, I don’t blame you. No one wants to keep up with their vehicle’s routine maintenance when it’s minus 40 outside. But it’s warming up. You no longer have an excuse for all those colourful warning lights on your dashboard. You need to prepare your vehicle for spring. Here’s how.
Clean
Most Canadians know that road salt causes corrosive damage to their vehicles’ exteriors. It gets kicked up by the wheels and damages various surfaces. That’s why it’s important to clean your vehicle regularly throughout winter. This measure is definitely a pain, but it doesn’t compare to the inconvenience of thoroughly cleaning your vehicle’s interior.
After all, no one wants to drag out the vacuum cleaner when it’s minus 40. But this job should be at the top of your spring cleaning list. Throughout the winter, road salt gets tracked on your shoes into your vehicle and destroys the surfaces beneath your feet. If you’ve seen a white residue on your vehicle’s carpet, then you know what I’m talking about. Having good floor mats is important, but dirt, sand, and salt will still find a way through the cracks. Now that it’s warming up outside, you should vacuum these particles immediately. Then clean the vinyl surfaces with an approved vinyl cleaning spray or wipe. A little cleaning goes a long way to prepare your vehicle for spring.
Check Your Wheel Alignment/Tire Tread
Winters bring some pretty variable road conditions. Ice ruts, snow piles, and concealed potholes are just a few of the hazards with which Saskatchewan drivers are familiar. But it only takes one of these hazards to knock your vehicle’s wheels out of alignment. Improper alignment causes certain parts of your tires to suffer more contact with the road. Subsequently, your front tires will wear down unevenly and become dangerous. If you spot these wear patterns, or if you feel your vehicle steering naturally to one direction, you may have a wheel alignment problem.
If you don’t suspect an alignment problem, you should still check the tread of your tires. To make sure your tires have enough remaining tread to see you through another summer season, use the quarter test. Take a quarter and place it between the tread at its lowest point. If the figurehead on the coin’s broad face
Check your fluids
There are a number of important fluids that keep your vehicle running safely and smoothly. During the winter months, we often neglect our regular maintenance, so now is a good time to have your fluids checked. The main fluids in your vehicle are:
- Engine Oil
- Washer Fluid
- Coolant
- Power Steering Fluid
- Brake Fluid
Checking most of these fluid levels is easy to do on your own, but you may want to consult your service professional anyway. General checkups prevent costly repairs down the road.
Keeping your vehicle maintained helps to keep you safe on the road. For routine maintenance performed quickly, visit the Quick Lane Tire and Auto Centre. And, to get rid of the slush and mud, have your vehicle cleaned at the Universal Auto Spa. Get your vehicle prepared for spring today!
