Your fall car care checklist By Sam Erickson Feature Writer
rotors, shoes, pads, drums, and calipers on your brakes. These are complicated systems. While some people feel comfortable October is Fall Car Care Month. handling this inspection and With the imminent onset of any repairs themselves, other winter, it’s time to give your car less-knowledgeable car owners a full system review. This handy rely on their mechanics to incheck l ist ca n let you k now spect and replace these. what you should do in order to get the most out of your car. If you’ve only got a short amount The engine of time, follow these in order to If your car runs rough on the maximize your efforts. road or when idling, it’s best to have it checked out by a meBrakes chanic. Winter is a time when you are relying more on your Heat and increased travel durcar, so it’s worth the investment. ing summer can wear out the
bat ter y post s or a bu lg i ng case can indicate problems. Professional tools are needed to test the juice in your battery.
Tires
Wipers
Check the tires for their tread life and any worn or bald spots. Rotat i ng t i res reg u la rly ca n prevent uneven wearing and increase the life of every tire on your car. Checking for the right tire pressure is important to do every month, but it is even more important as you move into winter.
Your w ipers are your key to v isibilit y, and t hey are easy to replace a nd relat ively inexpensive. You can visually inspect your wipers for pits and cracks or you can check them as they work. If they have good contact and clear water cleanly, you probably won’t need to replace them for the winter.
Battery
Fluid levels
Increased battery problems in the winter are actually often the result of the summer heat and extended driving. Corroded
levels in your owner’s manual and make sure to top off these before the season. It won’t take long and it won’t be expensive. If you not ice a ny ver y low levels, it might be time to have a professional check for leaks.
You r c a r c ont a i n s s e v er a l different fluids: power steering, Belts and hoses br a ke, oi l, a nd w i nd sh ield wiper, to name a few. Check the Belt s a nd hos e s a ppe a r i n many places in a car. Check for cracks in belts and soft spots in hoses, which often appear near the clamps. formerly Joe’s Auto Repair
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Check the alignment on your headlights to make sure you aren’t binding other drivers and all of your taillights and signals are in good working order. This will make communication easier while on the road and may keep you from getting pulled over and receiving a ticket. Few things are more important t ha n good ca r ca re ma intenance. Take the time to inspect, check and fix any problems with your vehicle to ensure you have a safe winter driving season.
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Advertising Supplement to the Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, Friday, September 21, 2012