Spring is officially here, which means now is the best time to get your family car ready for warmer weather. While spring might not be as dangerous as winter with its slick and icy roads, this rainy season comes with its own fair share of dangers. To help you prepare, here are a few spring maintenance tips you can use to make sure you’re ready for seasonal road hazards.
Change your tires
It’s recommended to swap out your winter tires with all-season tires once the final frost is over for the year. The reason for this is because the weather affects the road and how your tires grip the pavement. Winter tires are most effective during the cooler seasons because their tread rubber, depth, and patterns are designed to be flexible and softer to better grip the road. All-season tires have solid tread blocks with wide grooves. All-season tires are better equipped to handle the occasionally wet roads of spring to keep you from sliding.
Mount your phone
Distracted driving is still one of the most common reasons for car accidents. In 2018 alone, distracted driving injured as many as 400,000 people. While keeping your phone away while you’re on the road is ideal, not every vehicle comes equipped with a built-in mapping system. To avoid having to look down at your phone when you need your GPS, make sure to mount your phone to your dashboard using either a window or dashboard mount. What’s more, because a 3.5mm mini-phone socket is found on most portable devices with analog audio output, you can use an auxiliary cable and voice-activation to change your music while driving without getting distracted by changing radio stations.
Schedule your seasonal maintenance
Spring maintenance is essential when it comes to your family car. While you may not need an oil change until you’ve driven about 5,000 miles, it’s a good idea to have a mechanic check out your vehicle now that winter is over to repair any potential damage. For instance, your heat exchanger or your radiator typically needs to be cleaned out a few times throughout the year, and it’s important to clean your brakes and check your car’s underbody. Make sure as well not to forget about having a muffler service. Road salt from winter driving can definitely have a big impact on your car’s condition and could potentially put your car at risk of rusting.
Scrub down your car
Speaking of rust and road salt, it’s a good idea to give your vehicle a good scrub down now that spring has arrived. Winter roads aren’t just icy but also slushy and covered in mud. The mixture of moisture, dirt, debris, and road salt can start to eat away at your car’s paint job if you’re not careful. It’s recommended to clean that muck away as soon as possible to keep your car in great shape. You may also consider having car paint protection for your car. When looking for car wash Salem to keep your vehicle clean and sparkling, you should choose Xpress Car Wash.
While dangerous winter roads are finally behind us, getting an auto service is important to keep your car in great shape for spring’s own personal hazards. For instance, if you own a Volkswagen, you should consider having VW Auto services. Tires that aren’t properly inflated could make rain-covered streets dangerous to navigate, and road salt that’s been left on your car could cause rusting. By following the tips above, you can set yourself up on the right track toward getting your car ready for spring driving.
