As the weather warms up, you need to do a few different things to get ready: Break out the shorts. Start planting your garden. Get your car set for springtime. But how do you get your vehicle prepared for springtime? Here are a few things you need to do to ensure that you’re ready to drive safely in the warmer weather.
Check Your Tire Pressure
When temperatures drop in winter, the odds are that your tire pressure did too. You likely had to add air to your tires to ensure they were safe to drive on. As the weather warms up, you should keep an eye on your tire pressure again if the opposite happens. The higher temperatures will cause the air in your tires to expand, and the tire pressure can get too high. High tire pressure puts you at greater risk of having a blowout, so if you see that pressure climbing, be sure to let out a little bit of air and ensure that your tires are at a safe driving pressure.
Replace Wiper Blades
Spring isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It brings a lot of rain with it too. Make sure you’re ready for the April showers by having your wiper blades replaced if they’re looking a bit worn out. If there is any streaking or smearing of the water on your windshield when you use your wipers, then it’s time to replace them. Don’t wait until the rubber is beginning to completely separate from the blade; if you do, you could find yourself in a rainstorm without functional wipers, which can be extremely dangerous.
Check for Rust
Winter can do a number on your car’s paint job and undercarriage. This is especially true if you live in an area where cities use road salt to keep ice off the roads. That salt can be corrosive and lead to rusting on your vehicle. As the weather gets warmer, carefully inspect your vehicle (including the undercarriage) for any signs of rust. This can include brown stains or specks or even a tiny bubble in your paint job. If the rust spot is small, you can sand it down and treat it with primer and paint. However, it’s still best to have a professional do this for you, as the rusting could be more severe than you realize.
Test All Your Lights
Make sure all the various lights on your vehicle are working correctly. Driving in springtime often means driving in the rain with low visibility, so it’s essential that you see and that other drivers can see you. Check your headlights, taillights, reverse lights, turn signals, and brake lights to ensure they’re all in working condition. Keeping all of these in working condition makes it a lot less likely that you’ll be in an accident.
Get Repairs Done
Finally, if you were involved in any accident in the winter, you shouldn’t put off your repairs any longer. Get auto body collision repair in Houston right away to ensure that your car is in good driving condition for spring.
