3 tips to maintain your car in the fall
Is fall making you gloomy? Does the thought of winter just around the corner leave you cold? As a motorist, it's important to adapt your driving and remember the pitfalls to avoid at this time of year, including darkness and roadside wildlife.
And don't forget that your vehicle doesn't relish the change in temperature and the tougher road conditions either. Changing your tires is mandatory before December 1st, but there are some maintenance tasks that are also worth doing before the cold season.
Here are three tips for taking good care of your car, SUV or van this fall...
1. Rust protection
If you intend to keep your vehicle for a long time, a rustproofing treatment is a must, even if today's bodies are more resistant. It's a protection that covers the whole vehicle, so that means the various underbody parts too.
Of course, the best time to apply a rustproofing treatment is during dry periods, when the roads aren't wet or full of salt, i.e. in spring or summer. That said, there's no such thing as a bad time, in the sense that any protection is better than none at all. And this one is designed to last a full year.
In fall, workshops are quite busy, and your appointment may well take longer so that the staff can properly clean and dry your vehicle before application. We're talking about an hour instead of 35 to 45 minutes. Please note: not all treatments are really effective. Click here to find out more.
2. Brake maintenance
Fall is a good time to carry out proper maintenance on your brakes, which will be put to the test over the winter. You can take advantage of your tire change appointment to combine a brake system inspection and maintenance.
Pad wear, of course, is one of the things that jumps out at you when you remove the wheel, but there's more to it than that. Drum brakes, for example, require periodic adjustments to maintain optimum braking performance.
If you're resourceful enough to replace your own tires, taking the time to inspect your vehicle's braking system makes perfect sense if you're properly equipped. Click here to find out more.
3. Unbeatable visibility
Inspect belts and hoses for bulges, cracks or leaks that could be aggravated by temperature variations. Ensure that the alternator is in good condition, as is the 12-volt battery. Examine the block heater with a specially designed instrument. These are just some of the things you should be thinking about in the fall.
Fall means less visibility on the road, due to darkness and the vagaries of the weather. Make sure you have a good lighting system, i.e. clear, efficient headlights, taillights, fog lights and turn signals.
Finally, replace the wiper blades if they show signs of wear that are interfering with their work. Precipitation is normally heavier in the fall. So stock up on windshield washer fluid designed for winter temperatures. Paying attention to the road is essential, but you still need to see it well!
