Post-Summer Car Maintenance Checklist

Summertime is hell on your wheels. High temperatures. Long roadtrips. Your car takes a beating during summer and now that the season is winding down, it's time that you start thinking about giving your car a little post-summer TLC. Here are a few things to check and maintain to avoid any post-summer breakdowns:

Coolant and Radiator
Engines are fiery infernos that burn optimally at 200 degrees. Any hotter and the metal can actually melt and fuse. That, needless to say, is not good. To keep your engine running at an optimal temperature, flush your radiator before and after summer, and keep it filled with a good mixture of coolant.

Windshield Wipers
Your car's wipers take a beating during summer. It makes sense that after a long rainy summer you'd want to swap those old, crinkley wiper blades for some new ones.

Oil and Oil Filter
Road trips and extreme temperatures rough up your car's engine during the hot months of summer. To improve the health of your car's engine, change your oil and oil filter before and after summer. 

The Battery
Winter is the grim reaper of batteries. Here come the early morning jumpstarts. But the truth is that summer heat is even tougher on car batteries. It's only after the summer that you see the effect, which makes everyone point the finger at Old Man Winter. The fact is summer heat speeds up your car battery's chemical reaction, which makes the battery have too much charge, shortening the lifespan of your car battery. Have your battery tested before winter rolls around. It'll save you some rough mornings in the future.

Brakes
This is a year-round task. No matter how many five-star crash safety ratings your car has, it's all for naught unless your brakes are doing their job. Check your brakes often for wear and for response. Replacing your car's worn out brake pads or faulty calipers is one of the most important things you can do.