Spring is here! Auto maintenance tips for warm weather

We have had some wonderful weather over the past month. Isn’t this what California is all about? Spring has definitely sprung! We have our top care car tips for Spring maintenance and a few exciting events coming up at the shop!

Spring time car care and maintenance- While we enjoy mild weather in this part of the country, many of us enjoy taking off to the mountains for snowy weather. Car maintenance for colder weather is vastly different than the maintenance for the warmer months. Warmer months call for leaner fluids to handle higher heat. As temperatures rise outside, drivers and families want to keep cooler during the fun road trips and vacations. Now is a great time to take a look at the air conditioning and window controls to make sure your climate is comfortable for any kind of road trip you may take with your families this year.

 This is a check list for you to think about this Spring:

1 – Check your battery – Cold weather is harder on the charging system because it can take more than one try to get the car started on a colder morning. These multiple starts can affect the charging life of the battery. Have it checked out before taking a long journey.

2 – Check the tires – The change from warm weather to cold weather, rain, sleet, snow, ice, has an impact on the wearing of our tires. Dirt, mud, and salt can get into the suspension parts creating uneven wear on tires too. Check the tread and the tire pressure. Maintaining proper tire pressure can help gas mileage, in some cases by %3.

3 – Speaking of gas mileage, another little know item to check out is the oxygen sensor. The O2 sensor is responsible for determining the proper fuel mixture to for your car. A faulty one can significantly cut your gas mileage - %40, maybe even %50. These are typically changed out every 30K – 50K miles.

3 – Brakes – Sudden stopping, sliding, stop and go traffic in inclement weather increase the wear on your brakes. A quick check, clean up and fluid flush can get your brakes back to proper working order.

4 – Check belts and hoses - A broken belt or hose can cause problems ranging from the loss of power steering to an overheated engine, but these parts are easily overlooked. Look for cracks and peeling on the belts, softening on the hoses - or ask your mechanic to do it for you.

5 – Check the air conditioning - Turn on the cooler full blast and make sure it reaches that max chill in short order. If you suspect problems, get a mechanic to check it out soon. Ninety degree heat in the middle of nowhere is not a fun way to find out the air conditioning is not up to par.

Enjoy the weather and upcoming months!