Is Your Vehicle Ready for Duty as Student Shuttle?

Summer driving punishes your engine, tires, brakes, battery and paint–problems you’ll want to address before school errands turn your personal vehicle into a limousine.

Experts suggest giving your car a once-over to assess summer-related wear and tear.

“Start with a visual inspection,” suggested Tony Molla, vice president of communications at the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. “Look for obvious damage or things like burned-out lights or cracked lenses or windows. The more complete list of minor repairs that you give to your service provider, the more satisfied you will be.”

ASE offers has some basic tips for fall car care:

• Summer sun can harden and crack wiper blades. Replace them before the first rains—otherwise you may find them on back-order.
• Check washer fluid to clean your windshield during early fall rains. Roads are the dirtiest in the fall after dust and grime collect on roads during the summer.
• Inspect tires as well as the spare. Use a pressure gauge to check air pressure and check for wear.
• Check your tools. You can avoid hours of frustration on the roadside by having the right tools so you—or a passerby—have the emergency tools to help when stranded.
• Test the battery. An old battery that has trouble cranking the car in fall may go dead in winter. With every oil change, have the technician check on battery water levels.
• Do your headlights and taillights work properly? Are the high beams directed at the proper angle?
• Are the heater and defroster working properly? Turn on the heating system to check.
• Get the engine drive belts checked for wear and proper adjustment.
• Have a certified technician examine the exhaust system for leaks–problems could lead to deadly conditions in a closed vehicle.
• Are you prepared for nighttime or twilight driving associated with the end of daylight savings time? Your vehicle should be equipped with emergency equipment such as flares, gloves, a blanket, flashlight and some basic tools.

“Having your vehicle serviced at least twice a year by an ASE-certified professional technician will solve about 90 percent of vehicle maintenance problems and help keep your car off of the tow truck,” Molla said.