Get Your Car Ready to Go Back to School

One item not usually on the top of to-do list when getting ready to go back to school is car care maintenance.  Consider some of the items below to help get your car ready for a great school year.

Under the Hood

To help prevent maintenance issues or potentially costly repairs, open the hood of your vehicle and check the following:

• Fluid levels of engine oil, coolant and transmission, and brake and power steering fluid - your owner's manual will illustrate where everything is located and the proper levels to maintain.
• If your car is leaking fluid, its color may help you determine what it is and locate the source.
• Battery - Consider testing the battery with a voltmeter and replace it if it shows signs of reduced performance.

Check the Tires

Check the tires for uneven tread wear, nails or other potential hazards.  One easy way to check tread depth is inserting a penny into a groove - if any part of Abe Lincoln's head is obscured, you have enough tread. Check the pressure on each tire with a gauge when they're cold (not driven).  Follow the vehicle manufacturer's suggested pressure, which is located on most vehicles on a sticker inside the driver's door, center console, glove compartment lid or in the owner's manual.  Also, make sure the spare tire is inflated and a jack, lug wrench, lug nut key (if equipped with locking lug nuts) and jumper cables are in the trunk.

Check the Lights

Check all lights including the headlights, turn signals, emergency flashing lights, and brake lights.  Vehicles can have many different types of bulbs and they have varying life spans.  Inspect you vehicle regularly to ensure your lights are working properly.

We are Here to Help

Maintenance issues still can occur despite your preventive maintenance efforts.  if you have any concerns after your own inspection, give The Auto Analyst, your local one stop auto repair facility, a call and we will have one of our certified auto repair technicians perform a safety check which can help minimize maintenance issues and get you on the road to a fantastic school year.

The Auto Analyst can be reached at (530) 621-4591 or visit our website at www.theautoanalyst.com.