Springtime is the perfect time to go through a vehicle maintenance checklist and get your car ready for the months ahead.  We’ve put this one together so you know what should be checked out.

• Regular oil changes are very important for vehicle maintenance.  Clean oil in the engine keeps your vehicle running smoothly, so if it’s been a while, now is the time to change it.
• Your vehicle’s cooling system needs maintenance.  Not only does it keep the engine from overheating but it also keeps it from freezing.  And since we experience springtime weather that can have both extremes, it’s important to have the system flushed and replaced with fresh coolant.
• The terminals and cables on your battery should be inspected for wear or damage.  The battery fluid should also be checked along with the batteries ability to hold a charge.  If you’ve had the same battery for 4 years or more, you might want to have it replaced.
• The tires on your vehicle should be checked to make sure they are in good condition and will provide the proper traction you need for springtime (rain, snow) driving.  Checking for proper tire pressure is another thing that will need attention.
• Windshield wipers should be inspected and replaced if they are worn out and also refill the washer fluid reservoir.  With spring storms and dirt on the roads, sometimes we use our wipers more often than we thought we would.
• If your car was built in the last decade, chances are good it has a cabin air filter.  This filter needs to be checked because it screens out dust and debris out of the air that’s entering your vehicle’s passenger compartment.  To improve the quality of the air you breathe while you drive, your cabin air filter should be changed.
• Finally, the brakes on your vehicle should be checked.  If you haven’t had them checked in the last six months, now is the perfect time, because there’s no perfect time for the brakes to fail.

Vehicle maintenance can and should be done all the time, but if you haven’t started yet, springtime can be the perfect time for a new beginning.