With the new school year creeping up on us, now is a great time to make sure your car is fitted to handle school carpools, college commutes, and trips to the office. Regardless of where and when your back-to-school season begins, our auto repair specialists have valuable car maintenance tips to share.
CHECK YOUR TIRES
The first thing you should do is something many people often neglect: check the tread wear on their tires. Your wheels are lawfully required to have a minimum of 2/32 of an inch on their ridges. However, it is highly recommended that you have them replaced with as little as 4/32 of an inch to ensure maximum safety. Tires that don't have enough tread are dangerous for the following reasons:
- Impeded stopping power
- Increased chance of a tire blowout
- Loss in traction in wet conditions
REPLACE YOUR OIL
Engine oil is the bloodline of your vehicle, which is why oil changes are so vital to your engine's health. Oil is responsible for reducing friction, keeping wear and tear to a minimum, and removing sludge from your motor. The average vehicle requires new oil anywhere between 3,000 to 10,000 miles, depending on the type of motor oil your automobile needs. You should double-check your car's owner's manual to determine how often you should be replacing your oil.
INSPECT YOUR BRAKES
Your brakes are another critical component that could wear out during the back-to-school season. It would help if you regularly check your brakes since they are so crucial for you and your children's safety. Whenever you rotate your tires, please take a secondary step to inspect your brake pads and see how much area they have left on them. If you notice a loud squeal every time you press on the brakes, you should consider that as a warning indicating that your pads are getting low. Worn-out brakes can eventually disable your vehicle from stopping at all, which is incredibly dangerous to you, your passengers, and everyone around.
TOP OFF ESSENTIAL FLUIDS
Your car has major fluids that need to be periodically replenished, and thus you should examine them regularly. Your fluids should be free of contaminants or debris to ensure they function optimally. The six essential fluids of every vehicle are windshield wiper fluid, engine oil, brake fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, and coolant.
If any of the following components require attention, please do not hesitate to take your vehicle to Hoesly Automotive. Our skillful technicians will have your car safe and primed for the back-to-school season. Give us a call or visit today!
