Vehicle Maintenance: Getting Ready For Spring

Before heading on your next road trip, it is best to check your vehicle’s condition. There are several items that you can check in your driveway — before calling your local automotive shop.

Putting The Rubber Down

As the spring temperatures warm up, so does the surface of the asphalt that we drive on daily. The composition of winter tires is dramatically different to that of summer tires. The best way to keep traction on icy roads is to grab more surface area with sticky rubber. Winter tires are considerably softer than their summer counterparts; this allows the tire rubber to expand to increase the surface area the lugs touch on the road surface. It is vital to stay on top of tire changeover seasons to extend the life of your rubber roadrunners. Hot asphalt will deteriorate the soft rubber rapidly the longer winter tires are in service after the last frost. 

Extending the life of your tires is routine maintenance. 

• Check and maintain proper tire pressures often.
• Rotate your tires every 10,000 km or every other oil change. 
• Inspect the sidewall for cracks and wear.
• Monitor the age of tires — the recommendation is that tires over ten years old are removed from service.

Fluids and Filters

The fluids in your vehicle cool down components or provide the power needed to move parts. Without proper lubrication, clean fluid, or adequate fluid levels, this can cause failures inside your vehicle systems — which can be a hazard. While hydraulic systems act much differently than cooling systems, it is vital to visually look at the fluid colour and level for optimum performance. 

You can inspect any of the following fluids for discolouration or foul odour:

• Transmission Oil
• Engine Oil
• Brake Fluid
• Power Steering Fluid
• Coolant
• Windshield Washer Fluid

Filters are the lungs of your vehicle, and if they are blocked by debris or have deteriorated due to age, the engine will not receive the fresh air that it needs. 

Pop open the hood and inspect the air filter:

• Do you see tears or wear?
• Are there leaves and debris?
• Do you see oil stains?
• Are there any other abnormalities?

These will give you vital clues to any power or emission problems that may be happening. If you are in doubt about the health of your vehicle, book yourself in for a spring maintenance package at our local West Kelowna Big O Tires automotive shop.

Trust your local West Kelowna experts with your vehicle spring maintenance needs. Book your spring service today!