From your daily commute to long-haul road trips, you want to make sure that your car is ready for a great (and hot) summer. Here are five maintenance checks you'll want to do this June:
- Check your cooling system.
Summer will increase the strain on your cooling system. As it continually works to stop your engine from overheating this summer, your engine will be put through the ringer. So, this month make sure that your coolant levels are correct and the radiator is working properly with no leaks or cracked hoses.
- Check your brakes.
There is nothing more important to keep you and your loved ones safe this summer than having working brakes. From stop and go traffic, long summer road trips and changing weather conditions your brakes will also be under a lot of stress this season, make sure everything is working properly by getting a mechanic to look at them this month. This is especially true if your brakes are making noise or requiring you to put extra pressure on them.
- Replace your windshield wipers and wiper fluid.
After months clearing away snow, ice and the Pacific Northwest torrential rain, your wipers are probably not in their best shape. You can first try to do a simple wiper cleaning, but if that doesn't get them in working condition than its probably time to replace them in order to prepare for those inevitable summer rainstorms.
Additionally, make sure you are prepared to be able to clear those bugs, mud or whatever, from your windshields on your summer trips by refilling the wiper fluid.
- Change your air filter.
Looking to get better gas mileage this summer? Changing your air filter if its clogged can increase the efficiency of your engine. So, change it this June and you'll get better gas mileage all summer long.
- Change your oil and replace your oil filter.
The heat of the summer can be tough on your engine. Making sure your oil and oil filter are changed allows the oil to continue to lubricate and cool the engine as it naturally picks up impurities. So, now that the weather is warmer, stop putting off getting your oil checked and changed. You'll be thankful when there are nothing but clear skies and no breakdowns on your summer drives.