Nat'l Car Care Month right time to spring clean auto

By Official Release
April 1, 2008
11:09 AM EDT

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The heat is coming. Your car is going to suffer, and your wallet may, too, if you don't prepare. Planning ahead and preparing your car may prevent it from needing an "unexpected" trip to the repair shop.

April is National Car Care Month -- the perfect time to visit your local repair shop and have a preventative maintenance inspection and checkup. For those who love their cars, it means the chance to scrub off winter's grit and grime and administer some well-deserved TLC.

Follow these 10 important tips on how to spring clean your machine:

Auto Service

Tip No. 1 -- Have belts and hoses inspected

Today, many cars are equipped with a serpentine belt that runs all of the accessories. If that belt breaks, you can lose your power steering, water pump and charging system immediately. A good shop will check for any visible damage, abnormal wear or small hairline cracks. You should replace any belt that shows signs of wear. Even if a belt appears to be in good condition, it should be replaced every 50,000 miles as preventative maintenance. Like belts, you also should have all hoses inspected periodically for wear -- including hairline cracks and soft, bulging spots -- to hopefully prevent an impending rupture from occurring.

Tip No. 2 -- Check battery and spark plugs

Make sure battery posts and connections are secure and free of corrosion. Spark plugs fire as many as three million times every 1,000 miles. That's a lot of heat and wear and tear in the form of electrical and chemical erosion. Dirty spark plugs cause misfiring, which wastes fuel. If you're planning a long trip, consider replacing the battery and spark plugs if they are more than two years old.

Tip No. 3 -- Change air filter

The air filter prevents dust and other impurities from getting into the combustion chambers of the cylinders, resulting in wasted gas and weaker engine performance. According to the Car Care Council, replacing a clogged filter can improve mileage by as much as 10 percent. The time-honored way to check for dirt is to hold the filter up to the light, but since many new filters show light when dirty, or show no light when clean, it is more reliable to change the air filter every six months, and more often in dusty locations.

Tip No. 4 -- Flush and fill cooling system

This is cheap insurance against engine failure. The Car Care Council recommends flushing every two years, or 24,000 miles for most vehicles. Simply draining your radiator is not enough; you need to flush the system with a radiator flush product, not just plain water, to remove stubborn rust, grease and sediment. Then, refill with a 50/50 mixture of coolant and water. (If you live in a more severe climate, increase the percentage of coolant to about 70.)

Tip No. 5 -- Check A/C system

In reality, you should have you're A/C System checked before it gets hot! Because of the high usage during the hot summer months, this is the time it will be likely to fail. A technician will test your vehicle's system pressures, clean the condenser, visually and electronically inspect hoses, fittings and seals for leaks, check cooling fan operation, check output temperature, and adjust belt if needed. Freon will be added if needed.

Tip No. 6 -- Check radiator and gas caps

A snug radiator cap helps raise the cooling system pressure, giving added protection against boil-overs. Radiator caps don't last forever, so replace yours whenever you flush the cooling system. Pressure recommendations vary, so get the right cap for your vehicle model. With gas at record prices, be sure there's a tight seal on the gas cap, too, to prevent that high-priced octane from vaporizing. Nearly 20 percent of vehicles have gas caps that are damaged, loose or missing altogether, wasting some 147 million gallons of gas every year.

Tip No. 7 -- Check and rotate tires

Tire pressure changes about 1 pound per square inch for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit change in outside temperature, so it's important to check tire pressure after weather changes. An under-inflated tire not only reduces the life of your tire, but can cause your car's gas mileage to plummet by as much as 15 percent. An inspection also will tell you how much tread life you have on your tire, as well as alert you to any uneven tire wear, which could indicate an alignment problem. An inspection can also alert you to any visible damage to your tires, which can worsen under intense heat. Finally, have your tires rotated. This is a relatively simple car care procedure that will extend the tread life of your tires, and should be done roughly every 5,000-10,000 miles. Check your owner's manual for exact intervals. A good rule is to rotate tires after every oil change.

Tip No. 8 -- Check wiper blades/windshield washer fluid

Your wipers work hard all winter removing dirt and debris, including salt spray. Since the life expectancy of a wiper blade is six months to a year, check that the blades are making full contact with the windshield and have not dried out. Don't wait for a heavy spring or summer rainstorm to discover your blades aren't performing properly. Also, refill the wiper fluid reservoir.

Tip No. 9 -- Change oil regularly

While this very well may be the least costly of all the routine maintenance services on your vehicle, its importance is No. 1. Most manufacturers require the oil to be changed every 3,000-5,000 miles. Most shops will perform a free bumper-to-bumper safety inspection on your vehicle while doing a lube, oil and filter service. A safety inspection can consist of everything from checking your fluid levels, conditions of your belts and hoses, brakes, tires, battery and cables, shocks, wiper and washer operations, light operations, air cleaner, water pump, radiator, etc.

Tip No. 10 -- Clean the cabin

Lastly, appearances are important, no matter what the season. Discard the debris that's been hibernating under the seats all winter, then attack the cabin with the most powerful vacuum cleaner you can find. Remove the floor mats to vacuum or wash outside the car. Open the trunk, remove the spare tire and jack and vacuum here, too. Before returning the spare, check its pressure. Most likely it will need air, so remember to do that the next you time you fill the tank. Road dust, coffee stains and fingerprints have no appeal any time of the year, so after vacuuming, use a spray vinyl cleaner and a soft cloth on the dashboard, steering wheel, door panels and seats. That also helps protect against cracking, sun damage and fading. A good household upholstery cleaner is fine for fabric seats; for leather seats, follow manufacturer's recommendations.

The bottom line is this: preventative maintenance is the key to a safe and dependable car. Visit www.geminicarcare.com to schedule a spring maintenance makeover at a top repair shop in your area.