Snow is melting, outside temperatures are rising, and spring flowers are starting to pop up. Nature is getting ready for the change of season. Have you thought about the changes your car, truck, or SUV will be going through too?
Here’s part one of our tips for spring and summer vehicle care. In some cases, you’ll be able to perform these procedures yourself. Others are best done by a technician — like those at Bockman’s Auto, Truck & Tire — as part of an overall tune-up. Some will help your vehicle look better. Most will help it perform more efficiently and get better gas mileage.
Get rid of road salt on the undercarriage
Road salt can damage your vehicle by eating away at its undercarriage. Use a garden hose with as much water pressure as your system can muster to loosen winter grime and salt. Or, if you have a movable lawn sprinkler that’s low enough, set that under the vehicle to wash away what you can’t reach.
Check the tires
Tire pressure changes about 1 pound per square inch for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit change in outside temperature, so it’s important to check tire pressure after weather changes. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended pressure for your tire, and never exceed that.
Always check pressure when the tires are cold, since driving even a couple of miles to the gas station can provide a false reading. Higher pressure generally results in improved steering response and fuel economy, but a stiffer ride, and it wears out the tread in the center. Underinflation generally provides a smoother ride, but it causes tires to wear out at the sides. It also wastes gas because tires need more power to push the vehicle.
Check wiper blades
Your wipers work hard all winter removing dirt and debris, including salt spray. Since the life expectancy of a wiper blade is six months to a year, check that the blades are making full contact with the windshield and have not dried out. Don’t wait for a heavy spring or summer rainstorm to discover your blades aren’t performing properly. Also, refill the wiper fluid reservoir.
Rotate the tires
This is a relatively simple vehicle care procedure that will extend the tread life of your tires, and should be done roughly every 5,000-10,000 miles. Check your owner’s manual for exact intervals. A good rule is to rotate tires after every oil change.
Change the oil and oil filter
Some vehicle manufacturers recommend changing to a heavyweight oil to help the engine perform more efficiently during hotter weather. Most vehicles now have recommended oil grades of 5W-30, 10W-30 or 10W-40, which are all multiviscous grades — your owner’s manual will tell you which. Change the oil filter each time you change the oil, since it’s obvious that a dirty filter won’t keep the new oil clean.
Check back soon for Part 2 of our series. If you’d like to make an appointment with Bockman’s Auto, Truck & Tire to have us check over and take care of any of these seasonal vehicle needs, give us a call at 815.756.7413 (Sycamore), 815.754.4200 (DeKalb), or book an appointment online.
