This is a good time of the year to have your
car serviced. If you drive an average of 12,000 miles per year, you need to
have your car serviced at least twice a year.
Spring and fall are an excellent time to do this as it allows you to
prep your car for winter’s cold and summer’s heat respectively. If you are not
a do it yourselfer, and take your car to a reputable shop, they will most
likely already be checking these things for you, but it never hurts to make
sure. In addition to the normal oil and filter change, it is very important to check
your tires. We covered a lot about tires last week, but, while your car is on
the lift, your technician can give them a good professional check over, and if
necessary, do a tire rotation for you. If he does a tire rotation, while he has each
wheel off, he can do a quick visual brake check to make sure your pads do not need replaced.
When you get under the hood, there are quite a
number of things that should be checked. Always check your antifreeze for fill level
and condition. If your antifreeze is discolored, especially if it is rusty
colored, you should have the system drained and flushed and refilled with new
antifreeze. If you are not having the coolant changed, you should have it
tested to make sure the level of protection is sufficient for your area. For this
area, that should be at least -35 degrees, because you never know while traveling,
you could run into a cold pocket of air in some valley.
One Monday morning three years ago, when I left
my house to head north, it was - 5. As I headed up I-81, I watched the temp display
on my car start to drop and by the time I passed Hazleton, it was -15. It
stayed about that temp all the way until I exited I-81 about 30 miles north of
Scranton to head for a small town called Hop Bottom. As I descended into the
valley, I watched the temperature display start to fall, first -18, then -20, a
little later -22, and finally bottoming out at -25 degrees. So, you just never know when you
may need that extra protection.
Another item often overlooked until the first
good freeze is your windshield washer solvent. I have seen many washer
reservoirs frozen completely solid because people often add water over the
summer when the weather turns cold. It is important in the fall and winter to
add full strength washer solvent to give maximum protection, because if the
reservoir freezes and cracks, it can be expensive to replace because in most
newer cars it is not in a very easily accessible location so it can involve
some significant labor to replace it.
Also, check your belts and hoses. Check belts
for proper tension and also for visible cracks. If your belts are older than 5
or 6 years old, it is a good idea to get them replaced. It is not fun to get
stuck on the side of the road with a broken belt on some cold morning. As far
as hoses, check for cracks or if they are bulging or have a spongy feeling near
where they connect to the radiator or engine.
Checking the condition of your battery is very
important. Do a visual check for corrosion around the battery posts and
cables. If present, corrosion needs to be thoroughly
cleaned off, being careful not to get it on your skin, clothes or in your eyes.
If your battery is not a sealed unit, the electrolyte level should be checked
and add distilled water to bring it to the proper level if needed.
Other items you would want to check if your
vehicle is equipped with them would be your heated seats. You also need to
check and make sure your front and rear defrosters and your heater are working
properly. If you check these items, your
car should be pretty well prepared for winter, but remember, problems can arise
quickly, and without warning, so, if your car suddenly starts acting
differently, get it checked, it may be nothing, but it is much better than
sitting beside the road.
Recent recalls:
134,100 2008-2010 BMW 528,
535, 550 & M5 models
For a rear light grounding problem which could
cause failure of one or more rear light functions.
If
you think your vehicle may be affected by this recall, contact you dealer or
manufacturer for further information.
No comments:
Post a Comment