PEKIN, Ill. –– The signs of autumn have arrived as warm
weather succumbs to cooler temperatures and the leaves begin to turn beautiful
colors. While this season is great for relaxing and enjoying activities like
cider mills, pumpkin patches, and bonfires, it’s also the perfect time to make
sure your vehicle is up-to-date on what should be considered regular auto
service.
Use these car care maintenance tips to drive through fall and ensure that you’re staring at
the colorful foliage this season rather than a seized engine on the side of the
road.
Get a Brake
Inspection
Brakes should be inspected every 10,000 miles, and seeing as
fall is just ahead of winter it makes this season the perfect time to take a
look. If you hear high pitched squealing or grinding, or if it’s difficult to
stop, bring your vehicle to our factory-trained and certified service
technicians and get your brakes inspected before the roads get slick with snow.
Get a Battery Inspection
Seeing as your batter keeps your vehicle running, you’ll
want to make sure you have it inspected before the temperatures plummet. When
it gets cold, your battery has a harder time kicking into gear. Open your
vehicle hood and check for corrosion around the battery terminals. If you see
any, or if your engine is struggling to start and if your check engine light is
on, bring your vehicle to us and we’ll give it a thorough inspection. We use
batteries of the highest quality and can get your vehicle back on the road,
healthy for the upcoming colder months.
Check Lamps and
Bulbs.
Although fall is a colorful season, the sky that comes with
it can be pretty dull. Autumn days can be dark and gray enough to require the
use of headlights when you’re driving. Make sure your vehicle’s lamps and bulbs
are working and that they’re bright enough. If you have malfunctioning lamps
and bulbs, or if they’re too dim, our service techs can fit your vehicle with
the correct headlamps, tail lamps, and interior bulbs to make sure the road is
always illuminated as bright as it should be on the dreariest fall days.
Get a Cooling System
Inspection.
Your engine coolant, also referred to as antifreeze, keeps
your engine from overheating in the summer, but it also keeps your vehicle’s
radiator fluid from freezing in the winter. Coolant should be checked every
24,000 miles and fll is a great in-between season to have your cooling system
inspected to make sure your vehicle has a healthy engine. Our cooling system
inspection includes:
- Inspecting overall equipment condition and operation
- Monitoring operating temperatures
- Checking coolant quality and levels
- Checking hoses for damage and leaks
Rotate or Replace
Your Tires
You should have your tires rotated every 3,000 to 7,000
miles, which is about every other oil change. Unfortunately, the majority of
people are unaware of this, and many others continue to drive on worn tires
that should be replaced. Fall is the perfect time to take care of this vital
maintenance before winter hits and the roads get icy. If your tires look bald,
treadworn, or you feel less traction on the road, we offer these tire services:
- New tire installation
- Tire mounting and balancing
- Tire rotation
- Tire inspection for proper inflation and wear (for both new
tires and tire inspections)
We want our customers to be safe on the roads this fall, and the best way to ensure that is for you to use these car care maintenance tips to drive through fall. Stop by our Pekin area dealer for the
auto service your vehicle needs to remain a healthy machine. At Velde Ford, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit our dealership, Velde Ford at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.
