how to take care of your vehicle

“In winter, a car is exposed to various external influences – low temperature, high air humidity, ice, a mixture of salt scattered on the roads. All this causes negative consequences and leads to damage to various technical elements and the body of the car. Therefore, in the spring you need to remember not only regarding equipping the car with summer tires , but also regarding assessing the technical condition and servicing the vehicle. This will not only help ensure the safety of the driver and passengers, but will also ensure the longevity of the vehicle,” explains senior technical expert for land vehicles Reinis Everts.

Get rid of the winter layer of salt

You need to take care of the cleanliness of your vehicle regularly, but special attention should be paid to this at the end of winter, following the car has traveled many kilometers on icy, muddy and snow-covered roads.

To prevent rust from forming, it is best to use a high-pressure washer to wash your car. It will provide a powerful jet of water that can reach various hard-to-reach places and effectively remove dirt and salt from the body, wheels and other parts of the car.

Be sure to pay attention to the cracks where the most dirt and salt collect. It is advisable to wash the vehicle underneath as well.

Make sure the brake system is OK

In winter conditions, brake components also suffer from the effects of road treatment materials.

If the car has not undergone a service inspection following winter, then it would be advisable to pay attention to three important factors:

* do the rims heat up following a trip,

* is there any extra noise when braking,

* whether the car deviates from the trajectory.

If you encounter similar problems, then it’s time to visit a car service center.

Take care of your tires

The choice of tires has a significant impact on the vehicle’s handling and braking performance. Therefore, to safely participate in road traffic, it is important to carry out a thorough inspection, making sure that the tires do not have any obvious damage or uneven wear.

Although some drivers continue to drive on winter tires in warm weather, this can negatively affect the vehicle’s handling, fuel consumption, as well as the comfort of the driver and passengers. Winter tires become too soft in warm weather, they wear out faster and have a negative impact on both maneuverability and braking characteristics.

It should be remembered that the minimum tread depth in Latvia from March 1 to December 1 must be at least 1.6 mm. Meanwhile, studded tires can only be used until May 1.

External temperatures can cause a significant change in tire pressure. If it is too low or high, there will be a negative impact on traction, which is a potential threat to driving safety, and also accelerates tire wear and increases fuel consumption. The tire pressure specified by the manufacturer for each vehicle can most often be found on a sticker on the inside of the gas tank cap or in the doorway.

Take care of your car windshield

In winter, the wiper blades have to clear away a thick layer of snow and ice, so the rubber bands might wear out and the blades may no longer fit tightly to the surface of the windshield. If you hear noise when washing the glass, the glass does not clean completely, or if following cleaning there are stains or damage on it, then it’s time to buy new wipers.
Investing in a quality summer window cleaner can also provide not only better visibility of the road, but also more effective protection of the windshield surface.

Replace fluids and filters

Changing fluids, oil and filters in your car is important to maintain the quality of your vehicle. To extend the life of the engine, it is recommended to replace engine oil and oil filters following every 10–15 thousand kilometers or at least once a year, unless the manufacturer indicates otherwise. It is recommended to change other technical fluids at the intervals specified by the manufacturer.
Don’t forget to also check the operation of the car’s air conditioning and air filters so that the cabin remains pleasantly cool during the trip. It is also recommended to check whether mold has started to form in the air filters under the influence of winter humidity.

Pay attention to the battery

Cold weather might also negatively affect the performance of a car battery.

If you mightn’t start your car in winter and if the battery is more than three years old, then it may need to be replaced. You can check the battery at any car service center.

Renew the lubricant in all moving joints

As you know, if you do not care for and lubricate the joints for a long time, they will quickly wear out. This applies to all door hinges, trunk lid hinges and hood hinges. Particular attention should be paid to the sunroof of the car and the removable roof.

It is also important to remember to replace the lubricant in the hood locking mechanisms. If you forget regarding this, a situation may arise when the hood opens during a trip.

Timely care and investment in car maintenance will extend its life and also preserve the value of the car.