Suggestions On Setting Your Car For Summer Trip
Spring is the ideal time to get your vehicle ready for the hectic summer driving season ahead. It's wise to have your vehicle checked out before summer's intense vacation traffic and stop-and-go conditions begin earnestly.
The specialists at the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence suggest the following tips on getting your vehicle ready:
* Look at the owner's manual and keep up to the suggested service schedules. Pay attention to "regular" vs. "severe" schedules proposed, and determine which is suitable for your driving conditions and practice.
* Seek a methodical repair facility with recent equipment in the service bays and qualified automotive technicians being staff, as shown by trade school qualifications, credentials of advanced course work and training, as well as national certification of the individual technicians by ASE.
* Cleanse and refill the cooling system (radiator) according to the service manual's recommendations. The level, condition and concentration of the coolant should be checked periodically. Make sure the engine has cooled down before detaching the radiator cap. Engine overheating is the most frequent summer breakdown.
* Have engine performance problems rectified, such as hard starts, tough idling and stalling. You'll get better gasoline mileage, and you could put off more expensive repairs.
* Don't ignore your transmission and brakes. Expensive repairs can be avoided by regular service. Neglected brakes can create safety issues, too.
* Find out an experienced auto technician to check the condition of belts, clamps and hoses, but be precautionary by looking for signs of wear, cracking or fraying.
* Have a marginally working air conditioner system serviced by a technician qualified to handle refrigerants. Older units often contain ozone-depleting chemicals that could be let out into the air through improper or incompetent service.
* Change the oil and oil filter as indicated in the owner's manual. This simple, inexpensive service can increase the life of your vehicle.
* Change other filters (air, fuel, PCV) as suggested in the service manual.
* Verify the condition of tires, including the spare. Let the tires "cool down" prior to checking their pressure. Rough wear, "cupping", vibrations or "pulling" to one side implies troubles with your tires or suspension system.
* Change your headlights with some good quality aftermarket headlights. Good custom headlights or even just a nice new series of H11 bulbs for your standard lights will make a massive difference when you're traveling at night. Very rarely do you realize how weak your headlights are until you upgrade. It is likely that the winter road grim has damaged your lenses to the point where they really need to be replaced.
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