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Between long family road trips and countless trips to summer camps, you’ve logged a lot of miles these past few months. Is your vehicle limping into September and ill-equipped to handle the back-to-school season?
Driving safety becomes even more critical with students returning to the roads and crosswalks. A routine, seasonal maintenance inspection can mitigate the summer stresses your car has endured.
An inspection can uncover any mechanical issues or concerns that could compromise your car's performance and put others at risk. Things like worn tires, faulty brakes, or alignment problems may go unnoticed, but they can dramatically impact your ability to safely maneuver, accelerate, and stop your vehicle.
Catching and addressing these problems early in the autumn helps ensure your car is roadworthy and you're equipped to navigate school zones, bus routes, and heavier traffic with confidence.
Have your mechanic check these common end-of-summer vehicle issues to ensure your family’s safety as everyone heads back to school.
Critical Safety Checks
- Brakes. The return of students to classrooms brings a familiar challenge: bustling crosswalks. To avoid any accidents, a well-maintained brake system is important. Ensuring your vehicle's brakes are in top condition can be the difference between a close call and a potential accident.
- Tires. One sure way to wear down your tires includes having too little pressure or, as can happen in summer, too much pressure. Always have the tire pressure checked when taking your car in for scheduled maintenance.
- Alignment. The more you’re on the road, the more likely you are to encounter potholes or obstructions in the road, causing your alignment to get off course. Problems with your vehicle alignment can cause steering issues and tire damage.
- Wiper blades. Hot summer sun hardens and cracks wiper blades. Replace them to keep your windshield streak-free for your remaining summer outings and back-to-school excursions.
- Cabin air filter. Dust and pollen can be the enemy in summer. Keep your cabin clean and reduce allergens by replacing cabin air filters regularly. It’s an affordable way to improve cabin health for all occupants.
- Engine air filter. Dust and other contaminants from road trips are collected in your vehicle’s air intake system. Improve engine performance by replacing this important and affordable item.
- Leaks and drips. Have a certified technician examine the exhaust system for leaks in common areas that could lead to serious problems: ball joints, brake fluid lines, engine gaskets and radiator fluid.
- Battery charge test. Summer’s heat can lead to various battery issues such as corrosion and accelerated sulfation, which leads to battery failure.
- Climate control system. Do the heater and defroster work properly? Yes, it may still be hot outside but the end of summer is a great time to check your vehicle’s heating system before cooler temperatures arrive.
- Engine belts. Similar to other rubber-based components, belts wear quickly and may stretch in hot weather. For example, serpentine belts stretch and crack over time. Get all engine belts checked for signs of wear and tear.
Other Important Items
For additional safety precautions, consider these inspection items that are often missed:
- Replace exterior bulbs. All Bulbs dim slowly over time, and you may not even notice they no longer provide bright light. New bulbs are an inexpensive way to make sure other drivers see your vehicle. Be sure to check the license plate lights, brake lights, headlights, and turn signal lights.
- Tighten the emergency (parking) brake. A loose parking brake requires immediate attention.
- Sound system speakers. Has your vehicle horn become raspy or weak? It may be time to replace the speaker.
- Seat belts. Do your seat belts (front and back) clasp firmly? Are there any tears in the straps?
- Power steering. Have your mechanic check your car’s power steering fluid levels.
- PCV valve. This important component helps your engine burn cleanly. A clogged PCV valve can lower fuel economy, make your vehicle engine idle poorly and possibly leak oil.
- Windshield. Repair windshield cracks and chips before they are too large to fix and your vehicle requires a new windshield.
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