8 Essential Car Maintenance Tasks for Spring

Mar 27, 2024

Although the weather is still a little chillier in most places than any of us would like, it’s officially Spring! Have you scheduled your seasonal car care maintenance appointment yet? Our service center would love to see you and go over your vehicle to ensure it’s in tip-top shape. Here are some things to consider checking regularly each Spring Season.

Detail your vehicle’s interior and give it a thorough spring cleaning. We’ve already covered the importance of regular car washing in the spring to clean away road salt and grime, but the interior fabrics need a little TLC as well! We recommend bringing your vehicle to a professional detailer 3 to 4 times a year, but you can also go the DIY route. Make sure you get a good shampoo and vacuum on all of your car’s fabric. 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. If you have a fabric interior, applying a little baking soda to your vehicle’s carpets or upholstery after shampooing can help add freshness and absorb odors left behind. A good enzymatic based fabric refresher with a light fragrance is another great way to keep it fresh between cleanings. When cleaning the exterior, use the “two bucket method” – one bucket for rinsing off the grime and grit, and a second bucket of soapy clean water.

Check and Test your A/C. Don’t wait until the sweltering heat is already in full-force before you test your Air Conditioner. Make sure the fans and cooling unit are working properly before the summer gets here, and get it tuned-up and repaired if not. Check for any strange odors or sour smells and alert your mechanic if you smell any so they can check it out.

Swap in a new cabin air filter for the Spring Season. Vacuum your vehicle thoroughly or send in for a detail, and follow it up with replacing the cabin air filter each spring can help reduce mold, pollen, and other irritants to provide additional relief!

Check your vehicle’s oil and bring it in for an oil change. Changing the oil with each season change can extend your car’s life significantly, by thousands of miles even! It’s especially the case if your vehicle’s engine is older. Regularly swapping in new clean oil, even if you’re below the recommended mileage checkpoint, can help lubricate the gears and mechanisms in the vehicle and keep it running smoother for longer. Your trusted mechanic will also make sure the gaskets, oil pan, and other related parts are in working order and replace them as needed.

Check your vehicle’s belts and hoses. Pop open the hood and take a look inside and ensure that all of the belts, hoses, and connections are in tip-top shape. 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.

Consider applying or renewing an anti-rust treatment to your vehicle’s undercarriage, and giving it a good once over. Check underneath your vehicle each season to ensure that nothing appears damaged by the weather changes; some metal parts may rust or have buildup from salt, and rubber or plastic parts may shrink/expand and crack due to weather changes. The best time to apply an anti-rust/anti-corrosion treatment on your car is in the Autumn, but the second best time is the Spring!

Make sure your brake fluid, coolant, transmission fluid, and power steering fluid levels are topped off. Your mechanic will help you top off these fluids and let you know if they need to be flushed and replaced, and will swap to seasonally appropriate coolant as needed. You should be bringing your vehicle in for a fluids check with each seasonal weather change to ensure your vehicle is well-maintained.

Check those tires and get a professional wheel alignment and rotation. Be sure that your tires have been inspected for cracks, tears, leaks, worn treads, and proper inflation; replace any tires that show severe damage, fraying or signs of extreme wear and have leaks patched by a professional. Refer to your vehicle manufacturer’s manual for proper inflation rate, as well as the listing on the physical tire itself to ensure they’re at the right pressure. Rotating your tires and having an alignment will prevent uneven wear and prolong the life of your tires.