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What maintenance should I perform on my vehicle during fall in Wisconsin?
By Product Expert | Posted in Community, FAQs, Seasonal, Service and Repair on Monday, October 19th, 2020 at 10:13 pm
Fall Vehicle Care and Maintenance Tips for the Milwaukee Area
Fall has arrived. This means cooler weather, bright fall colors, and fresh, crisp leaves. Another, less-publicized aspect of fall, however, is the pre-winter ritual of vehicle maintenance.
It’s important to have one’s vehicle in tip-top condition before the winter hits. This is especially important here in the Milwaukee area, where we’re beset by both the notoriously savage Wisconsin winters and, for many of us, the rigors of city driving.
What fall maintenance should one have performed on their vehicle in order to be ready for winter?
Save yourself from worrying about any of the below with a trip to our service center!
The key maintenance procedures to perform on one’s vehicle in preparation for a Wisconsin winter are:
- Check the battery
- Lube up
- Check wipers and wiper fluid
- Check coolant
- Check tires
In addition to proper preparation, it’s important to simply drive safely in winter.
Check the Battery
Cold weather puts strain on many of the mechanics of one’s vehicle, but it’s particularly cruel to the battery. In fall, make sure your battery connection is tight and corrosion free.
A general thumb is to change one’s battery before the onset of winter if the battery is four or more years old. This is just to avoid the possibility of it dying and leaving you stranded.
Lube Up
Oil is the lifeblood of one’s vehicle. In winter, oil plays an additional important role by leaving a thin layer of lubrication on the engine that reduces the wear caused by a cold start.
As oil wears down over time, however, its ability to perform this task lessens. Filling your vehicle with fresh oil will help save wear and tear on the engine during cold morning start-ups.
Change Wipers and Fluid
It’s said that drivers should replace their windshield wipers every six months. While it’s unclear how many people actually do this, it does come in handy for effectiveness during heavy snow and snowstorms. It’s also important to ensure that one’s wiper fluid is fully stocked.
Check Coolant
Coolant is a bit tricky these days; be sure to check your owner’s manual (or give our dealership a call) for the exact ideal coolant specifications for your vehicle. In addition, be careful not to underfill or overfill your system (a task that is also often tricky on modern vehicles). If you’d rather not stress yourself with all this, feel free to schedule an appointment at our service center.
Check Tires
Checking one’s tires may be the most important element of winter vehicle prep. Tires with a deep tread help greatly when making trips on icy roads. Be aware that some cars, especially those that are performance- and luxury-oriented, may have tires that are canted inwards slightly for performance purposes. This can lead to the inside of the tires being worn completely bare, even if the outer areas seem fine.
