Ahhhh the birds are chirping, grass is coming alive again, flowers are starting to bloom and the trees are waking up from a long winter’s slumber. Spring is close and with the warm temperatures and awakening landscape comes pollen. Here come the itchy eyes, sneezing fits and two months of green sticky layers all over our freshly washed cars.
As sensitive as we are to the overabundance of pollen in the air, so are our cars. Below is a must-do checklist to help prepare your car for pollen season and in turn, protect yourself and you’re passengers.
- Change your Cabin Filter: The cabin filter is a paper filter element that most cars are equipped with. It is designed to filter out the pollutants in the outside air as the air is drawn into the vehicle or recirculated through the vehicle. Your cabin filter should be checked at every oil change and replaced if needed. Using a dirty cabin filter will not only introduce pollutants and allergens into the vehicle but can also put a strain on the heating and air conditioning systems. The air circulated in your vehicle always passes through this filter, if it cannot pass easily it will strain the blower motor (the motor that powers the fans to circulate air) and cause added stress on the air conditioning compressor which can lead to excessive fuel consumption and premature failure.
- Change your Engine Air Filter: Much like the cabin filter cleans the air you breathe, the engine air filter cleans the air your engine breathes. And your engine loves clean air just as much as you do. The engine air filter is found in the engine bay of your car generally enclosed in a big plastic Air Box. It cleans the air that goes into the Air Intake of your engine. That air then flows into your engine and is compressed along with atomized fuel to perform the combustion process that allows your engine to “run”. The air box and air filter is designed to trap any small particulate from being introduced to the interior parts of your engine. You may find things like leaves and sand in the air box and dust particulate in the filter. If the air filter is not clean, it will not allow your engine to operate at optimal performance therefore robbing you of power and unnecessary fuel consumption. Keeping your engine air filter clean will help keep your engine running well and keep it healthy which in turn will make you happy.
o Keep in mind there are a variety of different types of engine air filters available. Paper elements are the most common as well as washable filters. Speak with your technician to find out what type of filter is right for you.
- Check your windshield wipers, replace if needed: After being exposed to ice, salt and harsh winter temperatures, your windshield wipers may need to be replaced. Check for cracking in the rubber as well as bits missing off the blade. The wiper blade should always be flush to the windshield across its whole surface. If the blade is not operating properly, you may see water lines across your windshield or missed patches when operating. As we come in the rainy season, it is very important for your windshield wipers to be operating at optimal performance so you can see properly when driving.
o As wiper blade technology has advanced in recent years, there are a variety of different types of wiper blades available at competitive prices. Not sure which one is right for you? Discuss it with your technician and they will help you find the right blade for the environments you drive in.
- Adjust your tire pressure: If you use snow tires on your vehicle, it’s safe to say now is the time to put them away until next winter. If you don’t, now is the time to check your tire pressure and adjust if needed. It’s a good idea to check the air pressure in your tires at any major change in air temperature. Quick trip back to high school chemistry, as the air temperature decreases, the molecules group closer together, as the air temperature increases, the molecules group farther apart. There are a few reasons why tire pressure is so important.
o Your tires are designed to operate at optimal performance at the pressure indicated on the sidewall of the tire. Extreme over inflation can lead to a blow-out, less extreme over inflation can lead to excessive wear on the center part of the tires, under inflation can lead to excessive wear on the outside parts of the tire and extreme under inflation can lead to internal damage to the tire and possible the rim it is mounted to.
o If your tires are overinflated or underinflated, its performance in dry weather is hindered and can severely affect its performance in the rain. This can increase the likely-hood of hydroplaning and loss of control of your vehicle.
o If your tires are inflated to the proper air pressure it will also negatively impact your gas mileage. If its underinflated, the tire will cause more “drag” to the road surface therefore causing your engine and transmission to work harder to rotate the tire.
- Check your tire tread wear: In addition to properly inflating your tires, you should check the height of your tire tread and check for even wear. Every tire has wear indicators in its grooves. If the tread is very close to the wear indicator, it’s almost time for new tires. Running tire tread too low can result in poor performance, persistent flats and worse, a blow-out. Uneven tread wear can be indicative of an out-of spec wheel alignment or a potential suspension problem. Regular tire rotations can help promote even tread wear on all four tires. A wheel alignment can also help “even out” uneven tread wear. If you see one side of the tire is wearing excessively while the other side looks brand new, bring it to your technician to help decided what is the best approach to correcting the problem.
- Change over your washer fluid: If you use a de-icing formula washer fluid, it’s a good idea to run that tank down to empty and refill with a bug removing formula. As the little critters are waking up along with the plants and trees, they will be swarming on the roads and most likely colliding with your windshield. This is the season to make sure you have a good formulated washer fluid to help get the mess off your windshield helping you maintain a clear view of the road ahead of you.
Stay tuned for more exciting tips to help maintain a happy and healthy vehicle!
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