Education

October is Fall Car Care Month, the perfect time to fall into a vehicle maintenance program and get your car ready for the challenges of harsh winter weather.

“A thorough inspection of your vehicle during Fall Car Care Month will go a long way toward ensuring safety and dependability when temperatures drop and severe winter weather strikes,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “A routine maintenance program also makes financial sense, extending useful vehicle life and helping avoid costly repairs down the road.”

Wait a minute. The author meant to say, ‘oil filter’ you’re probably telling yourself. No, we really meant ‘engine air filter.’ If your car’s engine air filter is torn or clogged, your engine is probably running on dirty oil.

Think about it. A vehicle ingests about 10,000 gallons of air to burn a single gallon of fuel. And if you add to it all the contaminants that the air along roads and highways contains – soot, dust, debris, leaves, straw, tiny bits of rubber – imagine the amount of dirt that can enter the engine compartment each time you take your vehicle out,

Your car’s windshield protects you against stones, bugs, sand, grit and other roadside debris. Your car’s windows protect you from heat, cold, rain and snow. Your car’s brakes protect you from dangerous collisions. … No less important is your car’s cabin air filter which is designed to ‘safeguard’ your respiratory health and well being – especially when the windows are rolled up and the A/C or heating is turned on

It's the beginning of fall, and time to consider your coolant.

This is a good time to think about your engine cooling system. Regular inspections and pressure tests of your cooling system are of utmost importance, as is good maintenance by following the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended coolant change intervals.

As time passes, the protective anti-corrosive additives in the antifreeze break down and lose their effectiveness. But antifreeze has two other very important jobs as well:

• It is used to decrease the temperature at which the coolant freezes.

To avoid the inconvenience and potential safety hazards of breaking down miles away from home, a simple driveway inspection before hitting the road will help ensure a hassle-free Labor Day weekend, according to the Car Care Council.

“With these four easy steps, motorists can identify how road-ready their vehicle is right in their own driveway and, if repairs or maintenance are needed, they can be performed before leaving home,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council.

Temperatures over 90 degrees and high humidity can challenge your vehicle’s air conditioning system. Here are some easy tips to keep you and your passengers cool on the road.

 

Research shows that vehicle safety is the number one motivator for most motorists when it comes to vehicle maintenance and the brake system is at the top of the vehicle safety checklist. The Car Care Council advises not to stop short of checking brakes routinely and repairing or replacing when necessary.

Anyone who suffers from asthma or allergies knows there’s no telling when and where those triggers can set off a fit of sneezing or coughing and wheezing in adults and children. Whether it’s inside your home or your car, asthma and allergy triggers are everywhere especially in the spring season when we routinely see a noticeable spike in pollen, dust, mold and other contaminants in the air.

April is National Car Care Month. Vehicle inspection lanes, conducted throughout the United States by sponsoring organizations and businesses, are part of the automotive aftermarket industry’s ongoing public awareness campaign.

Volunteers across the country conduct these events each year, with a portion of them returning their vehicle inspection forms to the Car Care Council for analysis. The most recent campaign included results from a total of 860 vehicle inspections, nationwide.

When your car’s air conditioning fails, it can be more than a nuisance, it can become a health and safety matter. Most of us first notice an air conditioning problem when the car gets hot and muggy. But those with allergies can be quickly exposed to irritants when the windows are rolled down.

A cool passenger cabin has also been cited as a factor in keeping the driver alert.

Beyond just cooling the car, the vehicle’s air conditioning system is necessary for defogging the inside of the windows. Without it, the occupants can be at risk in bad weather.