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All over the country, drivers are beginning to say goodbye to high defrost settings and hello to rolled-down windows as spring warms the Earth.
With these warmer temperatures comes the responsibility of de-winterizing your vehicle, but where do you start?
1. Tires
The first place to start is your tires.
If you change your tires with the seasons, this is a very important step. Snow tires are costly and should only be driven when there is accumulated snow on the roads; if this includes your vehicle, change those tires to something like an ‘all season’ or standard tire. If you already have an ‘all season’ or standard style, now is the time to rotate them; this elongates the life of this type of tire.
2. Undercarriage
Next stop is the undercarriage.
Winter driving on salt or mag-chloride coated streets can quickly erode the underside of your vehicle. While there is no special cleanser to easily remove the nasty build up from these deicers, a good washing with a high pressure sprayer and some elbow grease is incredibly effective.
3. Windshield wiper blades
Windshield wiper blades take a beating during the winter months. When they are not swishing away nasty road splash back they are battling ice buildup, and all of this takes a toll.
Freezing temperatures are tough on the rubber blades, and the same chemicals that eat away at your undercarriage can wreak havoc on these blades. Check your whole windshield wiper arm for wear and tear; if any is visible, or your blades are streaking, go ahead and replace both arms with new ones. Blade replacement is easy and pretty economical.
4. Brakes
The last stop on our after-winter checklist is the brakes. Because brakes have a more stressful job during the icier months, it is very important to make sure they are in tip top shape for the wet spring season. Check for brake pedal resistance; if you have to push your pedal all the way to the floor to get a braking response, have your brakes checked out. Likewise if you hear any squeaking or grinding noises when you brake.
Recuperating and preparing for spring after a tough winter season is not only necessary for drivers, it is essential for our vehicles also. A well looked after vehicle is not only attractive; it is safer on the roadways.