If you haven’t had a chance to maintenance your vehicle following this year’s brutal winter vortex, take some time to give it a little TLC now. Snow, ice and cold temperatures are hard on cars, so it’s important to ensure that your vehicle receives post-winter upkeep. It’s better late than never.
First things first, if you haven’t taken off your snow tires by now get to it. They’re wonderful in the winter, when their grip helps enhance vehicle performance and safety, but the special material they’re made of doesn’t fare well in warmer temperatures.
Secondly, windshield wipers and brakes take a beating in winter. Both cold temps and corrosive salty slush can have a negative effect on them. Take a look at your windshield wipers to see if they need to be replaced and listen to your brakes for noises like chattering, squealing or grinding.
Please also keep in mind that, many times, drivers don’t notice when their brakes are not performing as well. Stopping power can diminish gradually and driving in winter just feels different, so you might not think anything is wrong necessarily. Bring your car to our service department if you want to make sure everything is working as it should be.
Another common thing to check is fluid levels. Your car has to work harder than usual when performing during the wintertime, which can significantly lower fluid levels. Check your windshield fluid, engine oil and other fluid levels, or bring your car to us and we’ll check for you.
