Spring Car Maintenance: How to Get Your Vehicle Road-Ready

Spring is here. It’s time to start thinking about a spring car maintenance checklist to help your car recover from the wrath of winter.

Start with a basic under-the-hood inspection

If you’ve been following the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule, you likely won’t need to worry about oil and fluid changes just because the seasons have changed. Still, as a part of routine car maintenance, a thorough inspection is important in spring. Pop the hood to check the brake fluid, coolant, power steering fluid, oil, transmission fluid, and the battery condition. Under the car, inspect the fuel system, suspension, brakes, and exhaust for any signs of damage or leaks.

Inspect and replace worn wiper blades

Winter is tough on wipers—especially if they’re used to clear frost from the windshield instead of an ice scraper. Frost can damage the wiper blades, leading to smearing and poor visibility during spring showers. Check the blades for tears, brittleness, or other damage, and replace them if necessary. Remember to check the rear wiper, too.

Test all exterior lights

Winter often means more driving after sunset and heavier use of exterior lights. Take a few minutes to check all the lights, including low- and high-beam headlights, fog lights, tail lights, side markers, and license plate lights. If your car is older and the headlights are beginning to yellow, consider replacing them or using a headlight restoration kit. These kits work well and are easy to use.

Check tires, pressure, and tread

Tire checks are a key part of spring car maintenance, especially if your vehicle endured harsh winter conditions. If you installed winter tires last November, now is the time to switch back to all-season or summer tires. If you used all-season tires through the winter, determine whether it’s time for a tire rotation, and check the tire pressures and tread depth. Also, inspect the tires for any signs of damage, including cuts or bulges on the tread or sidewalls.

Clean your car

Give the car a thorough wash and wax, vacuum the interior, and shampoo the carpeting and upholstery if necessary. Before waxing, fill in any paint chips with touch-up paint. Along with helping your car look better, you’ll also protect your car from rust caused by untreated chips and winter salt and sand left on the vehicle.

Test the air conditioning system

Spring may encourage driving with the windows down, but summer heat and humidity will soon make air conditioning a necessity. Test the system now, and schedule any needed repairs. A/C service appointments can be harder to get after the first summer heatwave. Testing your air conditioning system now is smart spring car maintenance that helps you avoid midsummer headaches.

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With the cold weather behind you and the warmer weather here, you can enjoy exploring the world in a vehicle that’s road-trip ready for adventures ahead.