Three Often-Forgotten Bits of Vehicle Maintenance You Should Do to Get Your Vehicle Ready for Spring!

Spring will soon be here, and along with warmer temperatures, that means millions of Americans will be looking to hit the road for spring break and other trips as the weather clears. Before you strike out, though, there’s a few “forgotten” things you should remember to check to get your vehicle ready for spring. Read on for four things you should check to get your vehicle road-trip ready. And if your current vehicle comes up lacking in the style, safety, reliability and performance you and your family deserve, come see us for a test drive today, or check out our full selection of beautiful 2021 Chevy models at our website right now.

SPARE NO EXPENSE: While your vehicle may include a tire pressure monitoring system that alerts you any time one of your tires needs to be topped off, the one crucial pressure in your vehicle that it probably doesn’t keep tabs on is your spare. Trust us when we say: you don’t want to have a flat, only to find that your spare tire is spongy or flat too. So the first forgotten car maintenance item to check for spring is the pressure in your spare tire. Tire pressure gauges are cheap and easily available. Check the sidewall of your spare for the correct pressure, then make sure it’s right on the money. While you’re at it, check the pressure in the rest of your tires too, because whether you have a tire pressure monitoring system or not, sometimes even great systems fail.

FILL YOUR JUG: Between bugs, pollen, rain, dust, sleet, bird poop, tree sap and all the other stuff that comes your way, Springtime can throw a lot at your car. To help make sure you’re ready for anything and will have a clear view of the road, the next often-forgotten car maintenance item to check before spring is sprung is the level of your windshield washer fluid. So much more than just plain old water (which you should never use in your windshield washer reservoir, because it can freeze and damage the reservoir and other components), windshield washer fluid contains not only anti-freezing agents, but also lubricants and conditioners to help keep your rubber windshield wipers looking great, in addition to gentle, paint-friendly solvents to help remove common road grime like bug guts and bird droppings. So check your owner’s manual, find your windshield washer reservoir, buy some windshield washer fluid and top it off.

BREATHE EASIER: Is your car smelling a little… weird… after the long, cold winter? Yeah, air fresheners for your vehicle come in all shapes, sizes and scents these days. But instead of trying to cover up those weird smells, maybe you should go sniffing for the root of the problem. While there used to be a time when your vehicle’s heater or air conditioner mostly just delivered whatever was hanging on the outside air to the inside of your car — including dust, pollen, smoke and bad smells — many vehicles built in the last 10 to 15 years include what’s called a cabin air filter. Often located behind the glove compartment of your vehicle for easier changing, the cabin air filter literally filters all the stuff from outside before it can be blown inside your car by your vehicle’s HVAC system. And, just like the filter that might be in your home HVAC system, it can get pretty gunked up over time, causing your AC and heating system to not only work harder, but the filter can also contain weird, musty smells that you might be smelling in your vehicle’s interior. If you’re handy, there’s videos on Youtube showing how to change most cabin air filters, or even oil-change places can do it for you for a small fee.

You can’t think of everything when it comes to your car, which is why we thought to provide these helpful hints on things to remember to check to get your vehicle road-trip ready for spring. Want to REALLY spring forward? Then stop in today at Landers Chevy of Norman for a test drive, or check out our full selection of beautiful Chevy models at our website right now.