5 New Year’s Resolutions to Make You and Your Car Safer

Just as we reflect on our lives and make changes with the New Year, we should also consider what we can do to take better care of our car. Tasks that go beyond the routine maintenance of putting air in the tires and changing the oil. Here is a list of five things to do for your car to start off the New Year.

If not already good about your car’s maintenance, make a maintenance plan now so you’re not rushing to the auto repair shop like Express Auto Repair & Service when disaster strikes. Ask your mechanic or car service center to check basic items such as:

 

• Battery
• Alignment
• Brakes
• Lights
• Transmission and brake fluids
• Tire tread depth
• Antifreeze

Knowing where your car stacks up here, and staying on top of it, can spare you from a crisis and costly trip to the shop down the road.

Those warning lights on your dash are there for a reason, so don’t ignore them. The warning signs could be real indications of things going wrong. Or they could be lighting up because something in your car’s system is malfunctioning. Either way, get your car to a repair or service center like Express Auto Repair & Service to get it checked out. Even if it’s a faulty warning, it’s better to know that than to be driving around with serious issues under the hood.

Winter is on its way, which means cold temperatures and tricky driving conditions here in Colorado Springs. The New Year is the perfect time to stock your emergency kit or put one together if you don’t have one. Below is a list to get you started, but we encourage you to seriously consider this and implement one soon.

 

• Jumper cables
• Flares
• First Aid kit
• Cellphone Charger
• Flashlight and batteries
• Blankets
• Water and non-perishable foods (Change these periodically as fluctuating temperatures can affect the stability of food.)
• Reflective vest
• Raincoat, small snow shovel, and snow brush

This list isn’t comprehensive, so do some research on what’s best to have in your car when you’ll need it most.

Speaking of being prepared for winter conditions, brush up now on your jumping skills. Batteries most commonly fail in extreme temperatures, especially the freezing cold. When you put (or already have) jumper cables in your car with your emergency kit, make sure you know how to use them. Check your car’s user manual or search the Internet for instructions. It’s easy and one of the best skills you can have as a driver.

Especially when it comes to your tires. Depending on whether your car has front or rear wheel drive, or all-wheel drive, the tires on your car wear differently. This New Year’s, learn how to rotate your tires, or take your car in to your nearest certified auto service shop to have it done. Not only will periodic tire rotation extend the life of your tires, but it also puts your car in safer driving condition.

 

Speaking of tires, now is the perfect time to learn how to change a tire if you don’t already know how. It can save you time and money and get you safely to a place to repair a flat. You could also make someone’s day by offering to change their tire as well.
These are but a few things you can implement to make you and your car safe this New Year. Head on into our Express Auto Repair & Service center, and we’ll gladly help formulate a New Year’s plan for your car’s maintenance and safety.