Autumn is here and here is Car tips for Autumn. With this, it is not necessary to tell you that this season of the year is characterized by the appearance of adverse weather events that can surprise us on the road. Among them are the rain, fog, and ice that announce, in a certain way, the arrival of winter. In addition, in the autumn the nights are longer, so the risks of accidents can increase, being the night driving more dangerous than the one that is carried out for the day.
From carrepro.org we invite you to prudence and above all, we show you some of the necessary car tips to have the car ready in the fall :
Check the lights
Now that the sun’s hours begin to diminish, it is a key aspect of your vehicle. So the first thing you should do is check headlights, taillights, parking lights, brake lights, and turn signals. It will be very useful to ask for help from someone you know so they can tell you if they are okay. In this sense, you may be interested in the article The lights of your car, how they are and how to use them. It is one of the very important car tips for autumn.
Experts advise checking the lights every five years, as the bulbs lose intensity over time. Remember that, in addition to being dangerous, carrying a blown headlight means a fine of 200 euros (no loss of points). So that this does not happen to you, use the lights when necessary … and remember to turn them off when you leave a tunnel. In addition, they will illuminate better if when cleaning the car clean the headlight on the outside, using a cloth and glass cleaner.
Rear window
Check that the thermal rear window works correctly. Surely you have not used it for months and maybe you’ll have a surprise when you really need it. If it does not work, it may just be a matter of changing a simple fuse. It is one of the very important car tips for autumn.
Tires
It is one of the maxims when it comes to putting the car to point in autumn. Your drawing must have, for safety and by law, at least 1.6 mm deep. If it is smaller it is recommended to change them for new ones. Even so, if they are more than four years old, it is also advisable to replace them, as the rubber hardens and loses up to 60% of its effectiveness. It is one of the very important car tips for autumn.
To try to last as long as possible, what you should do is make a smooth ride. In addition, it is important to avoid the curbs when parking and, above all, to take them with the proper pressure (you have to check them every month and before embarking on any long trip).
In the event that you click on a wheel, we remind you that you must take the spare wheel to the necessary pressure and tools for its placement. Apart from this, you have to carry in the car a reflective vest duly approved and two approved triangles of danger signage. In this post we collect all the things you should carry in the car )
Brushes
The purpose of the brushes is to completely clean the windshield. Visually, check that your rubber is not cracked and that you sweep the windshield correctly. How do we realize that they fail? When they leave traces of dirt or sound more than normal (maximum lifetime is two years). It is one of the very important car tips for autumn.
To lengthen its use, it is enough to clean them once a month with a cotton soaked in alcohol and a soft cloth. What you can not do is use them to remove ice from the windshield. You should know that during the summer, and due to high temperatures, they may have been in poor condition.
Change the oil
At the time of making an oil change, the car must be done with the car cold and parked in plain, and then remove the rod that is in the engine compartment. The oil level must always be between the MAX marks. and MIN. However, most cars have a tell-tale in the instrument cluster that warns if the level drops too low. It is one of the best car tips for autumn.
On the other hand, if the engine is gasoline and you see that the oil is very black, replace it. In a diesel, it is more usual to darken. To try to extend the life of the oil in your car longer, you should avoid short journeys and sports driving. A few months ago we explained the keys to choosing the best car oil for your engine.
Inspect under the hood
Looking under the hood will allow you to identify obvious signs of wear or parts that need replacing or fixing, such as leaks, cracks, and clamps. Also, it inspects (it does not hurt) the lower part of the transmission belts and replace them if necessary. Finally, if you hear some kind of noise in the engine, it is best to call a mechanic and review it.
Drums
We all know that sometimes it is difficult to start the car in cold weather. The idea is to have a fully charged battery.
How to know when to change the battery? If you have more than five years you must change it: it is your average life and if you have more than that age you can be left stranded when you least expect it (you may be interested in our basic tips for buying a new battery ). In order not to waste it and lengthen its useful life, you should not connect the radio, the lights or the heating with the engine without starting, since this way it consumes much more.
Coolant
The coolant is responsible for maintaining the engine at a constant temperature (between 90º and 92º) for proper operation. Of its good condition, it will depend that with low temperatures it is possible to circulate with the vehicle. It is also responsible for supplying hot water for heating. It is one of the very important car tips for autumn.
Although water can be added, it is not advisable to do so for two reasons. To begin with, modern cars are no longer made only of iron and steel, but less heavy alloys are used … which can be damaged by water. The liquid refrigerant contains corrosion inhibitors that protect them. The second reason is that it contains etelinglicol, a chemical that does not freeze in winter.
To replace or replace it, you must open the tank (always with the engine cold) and check that there are no traces of rust and that the color of the liquid is normal (green, pink or yellow). Experts recommend changing it every two years.