4 Summer Maintenance Tips

The summer heat can take a toll on your vehicle, and winter brings its own set of hurdles. In order to make sure your car is ready for the colder months, it’s important to do some end-of-season maintenance. Keep reading to learn some things you should keep your eye on this summer and as we enter into fall.
Check Your Tires 
With fall and winter come icy roads, so you definitely want to make sure that your tread is still intact. To test your tire tread yourself, simply place a penny in the groove of your tread with Lincoln’s head facing you and upside down. If you can still see all of Lincoln’s head when you do this, that means that your tread is 2/32 of an inch or less and, therefore, no longer safe to drive on.
Aside from having good tread left on your tires, you need to keep an eye on the tire pressure during those colder months to make sure you have enough traction on the road. Proper tire pressure also gives your vehicle more stability and impacts your vehicle’s fuel economy. Generally, your tires lose 1 psi every time the temperature drops by 10 degrees.
Examine Your Windshield Wipers
Even when they’re not being used, windshield wipers can deteriorate due to hot, dry weather. Before you face snow, it’s a good idea to check and replace your wiper blades. If you’re uncertain whether it’s time to switch them out, some good indicators are when they do these things when in use:

Squeak
Chatter
Smear
Streak

Changing a vehicle’s windshield wipers is easy enough. You just need to know the year, make, and model of your car and then locate the blades you need at your local auto parts shop. The directions can typically be found on the packaging, and the replacement process takes all of about 15 minutes.
Inspect Your Battery 
Your battery’s fluids may evaporate in the summer heat, which can result in corrosion and premature battery replacement. You can check for cracks or leaks, your fluid levels, and the battery connections to ensure they’re free of oxidation, rust, and corrosion, which are often signs of a lack of battery fluid. If you’re uncertain, experienced technicians are happy to do this for you.
Replace Your Radiator Fluids 
Checking your fluid levels as the weather changes is extremely important, especially if you live somewhere that experiences an extreme range of temperatures. The heat can cause fluids to evaporate, and cold weather can cause them to thicken. Your radiator is responsible for cooling your vehicle and keeping it from overheating. At the end of summer, check to ensure that your vehicle’s cooling system has enough coolant and that there aren’t any signs of leaks or cracks in your radiator.
As the seasons change, so do the demands placed on your car. In order to keep your new Ford in tip-top shape, it’s imperative that you practice routine maintenance. Don’t forget to head down to the service department at Warren Midtown Motors to get an end-of-summer checkup for your vehicle.
Image via Ford.
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