Whether you’ve spent your summer adventuring or staying close to home, the season’s high temperatures can put a strain on your family’s vehicles. Tires wear, lubricants lose viscosity, and coolant can become contaminated with dirt. Before the mercury dips and the roads become slick with wet leaves, now’s the perfect time to check that all your family vehicles are safe and road ready.

Here’s a quick checklist to help you get your vehicles up to spec.

Tires
Whether you’re driving your kids to middle school or sending them off to college, good tires are essential to the safe and efficient operation of any vehicle. Bald, worn, or underinflated tires can cause your vehicle to lose traction, especially on wet or icy surfaces. Check your tire pressure before you drive(when the tires are cold) to get an accurate psi reading. Tires can lose as much as 1 to 2 psi of pressure for every 10º drop in temperature. To check tread quality, try the penny test: place a penny in each of your tire’s grooves—if you can see all of Lincoln’s head, your tread is worn, and the tire should be replaced.

Fluids
Maintaining your vehicle’s fluids is essential. Motor oil can become gritty and can lose viscosity over prolonged use, especially at high temperatures. If your vehicle has been working hard all summer, now’s a great time for an oil change. Driving a heavy use vehicle? Ask about changing to a high-mileage or winter-weight oil. Also have your transmission and brake fluid levels checked, as well as your wiper fluid and coolant. Before autumn is a great time for a full radiator clean and flush before replacing your antifreeze.

Battery
We’ve all been there. You get into your car on a cold morning, turn the key, and nothing. Car batteries, like any battery, can lose charge if left idle in cold temperatures. Don’t get caught off guard. Your mechanic can check your battery’s life (often at no cost) and can replace your battery if necessary.

Brake Pads
Brake quality is among your car’s most vital safety determinants. Worn brake pads can reduce stopping power, increase stopping distance, and reduce your control over your vehicle. Driving with severely worn pads can even damage your brake rotors. Get a quick brake check-up now, before roads get slick with leaves. A small investment now can save you a world of trouble tomorrow.

Wiper Fluid & Defrost
When temps drop, water will freeze on your windshield. Be sure you have plenty of winter wiper fluid to keep your visibility clear. Also, if any of your cars rely on rear-window defrosters, be sure they’re in working order.

Belts and Hoses
Rubber belts and hoses should be supple and flexible, but as they age, they can become brittle and prone to breakage or leaks. Don’t get caught with a broken fan belt or a ruptured water hose. A quick check and some preventive maintenance may be all you need to keep your car running safely in the autumn and winter months.

Lights
As the days grow short, sunset comes earlier. Even if you’re just picking your kids up from soccer practice, you may need to switch on your headlights. Be sure your lights (high and low beams) as well as fog lights are in working order.

Wipers
Wiper blades wear over time and can become brittle or torn, compromising both visibility and safety. Check your blades and replace them if they seem worn or are providing insufficient coverage.
At Main Line Transmissions, we value your family’s safety. We want all your vehicles to be in top condition before you hit the road. So whether you’ll be driving across country or across town, come in for a visit and a checkup. We can diagnose transmission problems before they become major headaches—and can replace tires, fluids, wiper blades or brake padsas needed.

Don’t face fall driving conditions unprepared. Come see us at Main Line Transmissions today!