3 Quick Tips to Prepare Your Car for Fall

I swear fall is the busiest time for my family. I feel like school has just started and now the temperatures are dropping and the leaves are changing colors. There’s so much to do around the house to prep for winter that I am consumed with furnace checks and closing the pool. Then we slide right into Halloween and the next thing I know it’s Christmas! Like where did 3 months go?? It’s always a mystery.  But this year, I’m going to be on top of it. I am going to make sure our car is ready for fall. I’m going to share with you, 3 quick tips to prepare your car for fall. These are simple and can be done while you are filling the gas tank up.

Here’s what we are going to check –

Wiper Blades
Fluids
Tires

This sounds simple, right? It is! By checking these 3 little things you can avoid a time-consuming disaster later on.

Wiper Blades

I like the change my wiper blades twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall. The winter can be harsh on wiper blades, the ice and snow can cause little tears making them ineffective when you need them. Driving around in a rainstorm with streaky windows can be dangerous.  Your visibility is compromised which can lead to an accident. So check your wiper blades and if you see any signs of wear and tear, replace them.

Fluids

With the cooler temperatures, it’s a good time to make sure that all of your car’s fluids are clean and topped off. When temperatures drop, the fluids in your car can expand which will make them thicker – which may cause them to move more slowly through the engine. It’s especially good to drain and replace your coolant if you live in areas that experience extreme temperature swings from summer to fall and into winter. Coolant isn’t JUST coolant – there’s water added to it, and that ratio of water to coolant will typically be higher in the summer. In the winter, the ratio of water to coolant should be 40:60 (or 40% water, 60% coolant).

Tires

Tires are extremely important for your safety and the overall well being. Now is the time to check the tire tread, if it’s low think about making that appointment now and replacing the tires before the first snowfall. Icy roads and snow demand tire tread or you won’t be on the road for long. Also, check your tire pressure. The cooler temperatures cause air to contract which can cause your tire pressure to drop. Driving around on low tires can be dangerous. If you are not sure how to do either of these, you can pop into your local dealership and they will help you out. Or schedule an oil change with them and that is usually part of the overall package.