Our vehicles need to be well-maintained if we want them to last for a long time. Unfortunately, a study found that most Americans are not adept at caring for their cars—even basic maintenance and car care. Now that the United States is approaching monsoon season, if we aren’t there yet, we need to find ways to prepare our vehicles for heavy rains and storms. Here are some key pointers for preparing your vehicle for the rainy season.
Consider ceramic coating
The rule of thumb is that the latest technology always offers the best service, protection and meets most of our requirements and more. The same is true for car technology, especially in terms of care and maintenance.
It would follow that the latest paint protection technology, like ceramic coating for autos, will be the best shield your car can have against dirt, water, dust, debris, and other types of contaminants. This up-to-the-minute paint protection technology offers the most amount of durability, gloss, and protection for your vehicle—and it requires minimal upkeep, too.
Inspect the tires
One of the parts of your vehicle that bears the most brunt of the rainy season is your tires, which is why the first thing you need to do to equip your car for the coming storms is to inspect their quality and condition. Preserve your vehicle’s tire tread by constantly checking the tire pressure—once a month will do, or even when temperatures drop 10 degrees or more. Make sure your tires are checked and rotated regularly for maximum gripping power.
Check the brakes
Rainy conditions and wet pavements usually make it harder and longer for vehicles to come to a complete stop. Now that wet weather is upon the U.S., one of the most important things you need to do is ensure that your brakes are in tip-top shape.
Ask professionals to check your brake components according to your car’s manufacturer specifications. Watch out for specific squealing noises every time you brake because this might signify that your brake pads require replacement. Another kind of noise you need to listen for is grinding noises while braking—it might be a sign that your brakes need immediate inspection.
Make sure your headlights are in optimal condition
There is nothing more terrifying than driving with broken headlights while it’s raining. In inclement weather, our vehicles must have perfectly working headlights to ensure that we always have clear visibility and for other drivers to spot us.
When it’s raining heavily or when we’re driving through a thick fog, the light or beam emanating from our headlights may be the only thing that lets other drivers and pedestrians know we’re on the road. At the same time, in some states, the law requires that our headlights be turned on when using our windshield wipers, too.
Maintain the windshield wipers
Speaking of windshield wipers, it is also important that they work properly as wet season comes because visibility is vital to safe driving. Driving during a heavy downpour with broken or malfunctioning wiper blades is not just stupid; it’s also dangerous. Check your windshield wipers to ensure that none of them are brittle and that they don’t cause any streaking because otherwise, it might be time for a replacement.
Check for thickening fluids
As the tail-end of the summer approaches, we might also see a drop in temperature, which might cause the fluids in our vehicles to thicken. Thickened fluids can negatively affect the way our vehicle’s system operates and moves. When fluids like antifreeze, engine oil, and transmission fluid thicken in consistency, they tend to move less freely within the vehicle’s system.
A simple way to combat this phenomenon is by leaving your vehicle’s engine running for at least ten minutes before using it. This will allow the fluids and lubricants to warm up a bit before you hit the road. Another safety measure you can take is changing your vehicle’s fluids before the wet season comes so that they’re completely new before the temperatures drop. Don’t forget to maintain your vehicle’s fluids at the recommended level, as well.
Car care and maintenance are not just about ensuring that your vehicles can run as smoothly as they can for a long time. It’s also about our safety and that for our passengers and other drivers. Driving in inclement weather brings so much more risks to drivers on the road, which is why we need to do all that we can to lessen these risks, if not eliminate them.