Ready to hit the road this summer? It’s time to make sure your car is ready, too. Summer car maintenance is important to ensure your car is healthy and ready for high temps and long road trips. Essential systems in your vehicle require regular attention, both from you and your mechanic, to stay ahead of more serious car repairs and ensure you stay safe on the road. Visit your local AAMCO Boardman’s mechanics for summer car maintenance and hit the open road with confidence.
Schedule an Oil Change Service
Depending on the age of your vehicle and your driving habits, oil change services are typically recommended every 6-12 months. First consult your owner’s manual for recommended oil change intervals for your vehicle. If you’re due, make sure to schedule this maintenance service before you head out on a long road trip.
Regular oil changes are essential to keep your car’s engine running smoothly and efficiently. Putting off this car maintenance service can cause extra wear on parts inside the engine due to over-contaminated engine oil – or even lead to an overheating engine if oil levels become too low.
Check Essential Car Fluid Levels & Condition
Your car relies on a number of fluids to keep essential systems working smoothly and keep you safe and comfortable on the road. This becomes especially important when you’re heading out on a road trip where you may find yourself stranded if these fluids aren’t up to scratch.
Luckily, you can check some of these fluids, including coolant and engine oil, from home and have a mechanic inspect your vehicle if you notice problems with any of them.
Inspect Your Tires – Including Tire Pressure
Tires are your car’s point of contact with the road. Before heading out on a road trip – or even if you’re staying close to home – you want to make sure all of your tires have proper tire tread and tire pressure. Both of these will impact drivability and safety on the road.
If your tires are over-worn, you may notice difficulty maintaining traction. If your tire pressure is too high, you’re at risk of a blowout, especially with extended highway driving. With most modern cars, it’s easy to check both and have a trusted mechanic help if you notice any problems with your tires.
Have You Car Battery Tested by a Trusted Mechanic
A dead car battery may just seem like a nuisance – but it’s a nuisance you want to avoid running into on a road trip. If your car battery is getting up there in years or you’ve started noticing early signs of it wearing out, it’s a good idea to have your mechanic test your car battery. This allows them the chance to tell how much charge your car battery can hold, as well as inspect connecting wires, terminals, and other connected parts. This ensures your car is always ready to go when you are.
Schedule an AC Service with Your Car’s Mechanic
Don’t let summer heat put a damper on your road trip. Before heading out, schedule an AC service with your mechanic to ensure your car’s air conditioning system is working its best. If your car’s refrigerant is old or low, your mechanic can perform an AC recharge to help make sure you’re always cool and comfortable in the cabin of your car. This car maintenance service also allows your mechanic the chance to inspect other parts of your car’s AC system to ensure they aren’t wearing out.
Avoid Auto Repairs By Having Belts Checked
Some of the most important parts under the hood of your car are belts. The serpentine belt and timing belt help keep key systems running and synchronized. If one of them wears out and fails, it can cause serious auto repairs. Have your mechanic inspect these belts before you head out on a long road trip. Replacing belts before they fail is relatively simple and dealing with a failed car belt on a road trip can put a damper on the whole vacation.
Trust AAMCO Boardman’s Mechanics with Your Seasonal Car Care
When it comes to summer car maintenance, we understand certain services are necessary to help keep you safe and comfortable on the road. Summer road trips are fun – don’t let a surprise auto repair get in the way. Give your local AAMCO Boardman auto shop a call today or easily schedule an appointment with us online.