Spring Cleaning Vehicle Maintenance Checklist

Mar 19, 2024

We’re celebrating the slightly chilly Spring Equinox with some helpful maintenance reminders for all vehicle owners with this handy Checklist of To-Do’s for Spring cleaning!

Check your vehicle’s light bulbs. Cold winter weather can take its toll on your lightbulbs and tail lights. Do a quick once over on your car, and make sure that all of your car’s headlights and exterior lamps as well as interior lights are working properly at full brightness. Properly working light bulbs and LEDs can increase your visibility during foggy, hazy weather and rain.
Change your cabin filter. Springtime is notoriously bad for allergy sufferers, and the cabin air filter is a great way to clean the air and reduce pollen, mold, and other allergens in your car’s interior. Consider adding a portable HEPA filter to your vehicle in the back seat or center console/cup holder to aid in filtering out allergens!
Stop ignoring your dashboard lights. Bring your car in for a general tune-up and check-up and get a reading on all those blinking lights you keep trying to ignore. Don’t wait until your car breaks down or strands you on your summer road trip! Get things taken care of now, so you can enjoy all of your post-lockdown road trips with confidence.
Give your car a thorough exterior car wash to remove salt and grime, and be sure to detail your vehicle’s interior. Make sure you have your car professionally cleaned to remove the winter muck and salt residue! Next, be sure to get a good upholstery shampoo and vacuum on all of your car’s fabric, or bring it in to a local vehicle detailer. If your car has a leather or leather-blend interior, it’s important to condition the fabric so it doesn’t crack or peel during hot weather months; consider applying a leather conditioner and protector to the surfaces. Get into all the nooks and crannies to clear out the grit, grime, and gravel!
Check your vehicle’s belts and hoses. Cold and freezing temperatures can cause the rubber and plastics to crack or split, thus weakening their ability to move properly. Save yourself a lot of money and aggravation by ensuring all belts and hoses are replaced before they cause your vehicle to stall or your engine seizes. Pop open the hood and take a look inside and ensure that all of the belts, hoses, and connections are in tip-top shape. If you notice cracks or wear-and-tear, call for a service appointment to have them replaced.
Top off your oil and do an oil change. Warm weather means lots of joy rides, so you may need an oil change sooner than you’d expect! Make sure to book your regular oil change appointment, but also check with your service center to see if your vehicle needs a different higher temperature oil for the incoming warmer weather.
Replace wiper blades and apply hydrophobic coating to your windshield. April Showers bring May Flowers, but it’s important to have clear visibility as you drive if you’d like to see the sights of springtime blooming around you!
Bring your car in for a general tune-up and check-up. Don’t ignore your dashboard lights. Don’t wait until your car breaks down or strands you on your summer road trip! Get things taken care of now, so you can enjoy all of your upcoming road trips with confidence.
Clean and wash your pet’s seat protectors, crate, and other transport items. Bringing your pets on the road with you is always a fun time, but it’s important to remember they track in a lot of dirt, gravel, grime, and build-up too! Giving their car seats, seat covers, and other car accessories a thorough vacuuming, washing, and sanitizing can help remove allergens from your vehicle, as well as preparing you for more fun hiking and treks with your pup!