subject: What To Expect From Pre Winter Maintenance Checks [print this page] When the cold comes, so does the snow, and following shortly after that is the ice. For even good drivers, the winter season is some what of a nightmare. Even if you are a great driver, the road can be a dangerous place for reasons outside your control, such as other drivers or road conditions. However there is something that you can control in order to make your winter driving experience the safest possible, and that is your vehicle. If you have considered getting a pre winter maintenance check, you should know a bit of what you are up for.
Safety Inspection: The Heart of Winter
The premise of every single pre winter inspection is a safety inspection. When you drop your vehicle off at our auto repair shop, our inspection is going to be, first and fore most, about safety. Commonly, we will start by testing the road properties of your vehicle. The mechanic wants to ensure that your brakes are working, your brake pads are not slipping or catching, your brake line is not gripping and your brake pedal is functioning as it should. We will also check out your brake lights to ensure they are in working order. After this, we will check your vehicle's tires to ensure that they have sufficient tread, no abnormalities in the tires to impair handling, and filled properly. But it will not stop there; safety is only one part of the pre winter inspection.
Functionality Inspection: Pre Winter Knowledge
Your vehicle will be subject to a near complete inspection. Fluids checks will be performed in order to ensure that not only the fluids are leveled and of good quality (i.e. not burnt, or contaminated) but also that hoses are not leaking. In the winter, leaks can become issues, as the liquids can drip and freeze, and while frozen, corrode parts of your vehicle. After the fluids checks, the AAA worker or mechanic will then check your car's power steering, suspension and wheel alignment. All of those are factors that affect the handling of your vehicle, and thus are inspected just as much for functional purposes as for safety reasons. Proper wheel alignment, good suspension and working power steering will all help you to drive better and safer this winter.
After Your Pre Winter Inspection
Once your pre winter inspection is over, depending upon your current budget, you will have the option to have the mechanic address any or all of the issues with your vehicle. Of course, they will explain to you in as much detail as you require what the problems are with your vehicle. It is at this point that it is important that you ask any questions you may have. Not all repairs or work is required, but a pre winter inspection is done thoroughly, and thus problems that arise during it may very well be ones that affect your driving this season.
