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It is standard to get our cars ready for the winter, but as temperatures rise, your car may need a few adjustments and inspections to make sure its road ready for the change environment.

De-winterize Your Car

One of the first things to address is de-winterizing your car if you made any changes to be handle the cold temps and slick road conditions that often come in winter. If you put winter tires on your car, you’ll want to have them removed and replaced with your previous tires that are better suited for warmer temperatures and dry road conditions. While you could keep the winter tires on your vehicle, using them outside their intended weather conditions produces wear and tear that renders the tires ineffective later in the year when they are needed. Misuse of winter tires only raises costs over time when you need to invest in a new set sooner than you need to.

All winter long you’ve been using the heat and very rarely have you asked for cooler air, so a check that the air conditioning functions as expected. Any deficiencies should be brought to the attention of a mechanic as a preventative measure for future costly repairs.

Car Maintenance Tips For Spring

After taking care to remove all winter-specific accessories, there are other checks you can perform on your car to make sure it’s ready to run in the months ahead.

Oil Change

Changing your oil regularly is an important aspect of keeping your car running. Do an oil check as the new season rolls around to make sure your levels are good and visit a mechanic or check out our post on fluids to change your oil if necessary.

Replace Wipers

Worn wipers are danger to both you and other drivers on the road because they impair road visibility in inclement weather. During the winter ice buildup can cause wiper wear or cracks, making them unable to wipe away springtime rains. If you need to replace your wipers, refer to your owner’s manual to find the proper size.

Filter Check

The change in season is a great time to check your engine air filter and replace it. This filter prevents road debris and other obstructions like bugs from entering your car and impacting cabin air cleanliness. Refer to our post on how to check and replace a dirty engine air filter.

Belt Check

Give the belts and hoses in your car a quick check for signs of cracks or brittleness from the cold of the winter. A break in a hose or belt can cause major vehicle problems, like engine trouble is the timing belts breaks, or cause fluid leaks.

Fluid Check

There are other fluids in your car essential to its function beyond the engine oil. Low power steering fluid makes it harder to handle the car, and low break fluid means that stopping isn’t easily done or safe. Refer to our post on fluids to check in your car to learn about replacing break and power steering fluid, as well as transmission and windshield wiper fluid.