Fall illustration featuring blue car and orange leaf.

How to prepare your car for fall

In Maintenance by Steves Auto Repair and Tire

It’s hard to believe that fall is just a couple of weeks away.

As the temperatures begin to drop, we recommend being watchful of a few items that can help prepare your car for fall.

Tips to help you prepare your car for fall

Tire pressure

Drastic changes in temperature can lead to tire pressure loss. Tire pressure should be checked at least a couple of times each year, or when an oil change is performed.

Read more about when and how to check your car’s tire pressure by checking out this article we shared.

If all of the tires have low tire pressure, it’s most likely due to the temperature change. However, if one tire is much lower than the others, it may indicate a leak.

Having low tire pressure can cause additional tire wear and makes it more difficult to control your vehicle in an emergency.

Checking the tire pressure.

Checking the tire pressure

Car battery

Checking your vehicle’s battery is another way you can prepare your car for fall.

Weak car batteries tend to go bad when it’s extremely hot or cold outside. A car not starting could mean that the battery is dead. 

Other possible reasons why a car won’t start are discussed in this article.

You should also watch for the battery alert light, which is a sign that there is a problem with the battery or it’s low on power.

Testing the car battery.

Testing the battery

Windshield Washer Fluid Concentration

As strange as it sounds, your vehicle’s windshield wiper fluid concentration is something you should consider as it gets colder. 

During the summer, some people dilute windshield washer fluid to save money. If that diluted fluid is in the system during the fall and the temperature drops low enough, it can freeze.

Windshield on a Volkswagen.

Windshield on a Volkswagen

Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire is an authorized Goodyear tire dealer located in Woodbridge, Virginia. Automotive repair services are performed on all makes and models, including BMW and Mercedes. Services include oil changes, brakes, alignments, inspections, and computer engine diagnostics.