Preparing Your Car for Back to School
Back-to-school time is often the time we associate with driving the kids around, to and from school, as well as other school-year activities.
While driving the kids around for school activities might or might not be enjoyable in some ways, one thing’s for sure: this driving places certain special strains and demands on your vehicle, due to the added miles driven and perhaps additional time waiting in a school pick-up and drop-off line with your engine idling. This means it’s important to make sure that your car is ready to handle these driving conditions. There are a number of areas of the car that should be checked or serviced leading up to the beginning of the new school year.
Air Conditioning
In Maine and in most of New England, the school year starts in late-August – one of the hottest months of the year. So, let’s start with a little thing that makes it bearable to drive the kids in the sweltering dog days of summer; the air-conditioning system. Your AC keeps you cool and happy in 90 plus degree temperatures, and it usually works hard during the hot months. It’s important to give your air conditioning system a clean bill of health heading into back-to-school time.
You’ve probably been running your air conditioner during the summer, but it’s a good idea to ensure it’s working normally. A bad smell, squeaking or other noises, or anything else out of the ordinary may indicate you have an issue our Automotive Experts might need to address.
You’ll want to make sure that the AC belt is in tip-top shape. Signs that the AC belt is in need of replacement can include cracks in the belt surface or squeaking noises while the air conditioning is running. If your AC belt is in bad shape at the start of school, there’s a chance it will give way at a bad time, and it’s probably best to change it now before it’s inconvenient to take the car in.
Another part of the AC system you’ll want to have checked at the beginning of the school year is the refrigerant level. Note that air conditioning refrigerant is a toxic substance, and it may be best to let our trained and certified professionals check your levels and system pressures.
Engine Cooling System
Just like you need to keep cool during the hot months, the same is true of your engine. Your vehicle features an extensive and complex cooling system to keep your engine running at acceptable temperatures, and that cooling system faces its greatest challenge during hotter weather.
The engine’s cooling system tries to keep the engine at around 200 degrees on most model cars, which confers a number of performance benefits. These range from optimal fuel combustion to correct oil viscosity to protection against corrosion and wear and tear.
In the August and early September heat, the cooling system is taxed, and if it’s not in good shape the coolant can rise to temperatures which can cause the engine to overheat. Engine overheating can result in irreversible damage, and it’s much better to make sure your cooling system is functioning well now, in a preventative sense, than deal with permanent – and costly – consequences.
First, you should have your coolant checked, which includes both the coolant level and also the chemical concentration of the coolant. We’ll also want to make sure that your radiator and hoses are in good shape, as any cracking or leaking can indicate a cooling system not functioning at peak level. It’s also important to verify that the drive belts and clamps are tight and in good condition.
When driving in warmer weather, it’s always a good idea to be mindful of your engine’s heat levels. The temperature gauge will let you know if your car is overheating. If your temperature gauge or warning light indicates overheating, it’s absolutely imperative to pull over and shut the engine off immediately, of course, remaining cognizant of surrounding traffic and safety. One immediate trick you can do if traffic keeps you from immediately shutting off the engine while it’s overheating is to flip on the heater. This may seem weird during hot weather, but your car cabin’s heating system works by transferring heat from the car’s engine to the interior, so this transfer of heat may help cool an overheating engine a tiny bit.
Various Fluid Levels
In addition to checking your coolant, back-to-school time is an ideal time to make sure the fluid levels for all your vehicle’s systems are where they should be.
Transmission Fluid
If you’re driving a car with an automatic transmission (which most people are), you’ll want to consult your owner’s manual to see how to check your fluid level. Some cars have “lifetime fluid,” which has no way to be checked other than by a professional, while others have specifications for the owner to check fluid levels him/herself.
Your owner’s manual will specify the correct levels and, if you need to add more fluid, will direct you to the recommended ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) type. Note that having too little transmission fluid can burn out the transmission’s torque converter or other internal components, while having an excess of fluid can result in overpressure issues that also damage the transmission. If in doubt, bring the car in for our Automotive Experts to check it. Also, if your transmission fluid level is low, simply topping it off may not be enough. Bring it in for an inspection of potential leaks.
If, on the other hand, you’re driving a car with a manual transmission, it’s far more difficult to access the fluid level. It’s not impossible, but it will require jacking up the car and getting down beneath it to check the levels. You may decide that it’s just easier to have us check it for you.
Power-Steering Fluid
Power-steering fluid isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when most people think about checking their fluid levels. However, the power steering is a crucial system in your car, and low or dirty fluid can have a significant negative impact on your steering components.
Your owner’s manual will be able to direct you on how to check the power-steering fluid levels, and how to fill it if levels are low. If the fluid has a dark brown hue, you’ll want to have your power steering system flushed out and refilled with new fluid. The consequences of driving with dirty power-steering fluid can include premature failing of the power steering pump, power steering rack and pinion unit; as well as any power steering sensors or switches with which your car may be equipped.
Engine Oil
Oil is crucial to your engine’s performance during all times of the year, not just back-to-school time. But while you’re checking all your other fluids, you might as well check your engine oil if you haven’t done so recently. If the oil is a healthy yellowish amber color, you don’t need to have it changed. If levels are low, top it off. If the oil is dark and muddy in appearance, it’s time for an oil change. Also, if you’re due for an oil change by time and/or mileage, back-to-school is probably as good a time as any to come in for that oil & filter change.
Brake Fluid
Brake Fluid level and condition is absolutely critical when it comes to the performance of your brakes. Your car’s braking system is a hydraulic system, and without proper hydraulic fluid the system simply doesn’t work. As brake fluid breaks down, you can experience anything from decreased braking performance when depressing the brake pedal or, in some rare and extreme cases, a complete failure to brake.
Checking the brake fluid level and quality is something we suggest leaving to a professional. Our Automotive Experts are equipped with the instruments to test the content of moisture in your brake fluid; moisture that, if at too high a level, can damage the hydraulic brake components. If the fluid is grimy and dark, an indication of excessive moisture content, it will be necessary to flush the system to replace the fluid. This is a job best done by our Automotive Experts, as brake fluid is highly hazardous and improper bleeding of air from the system can cause damage or cause brake system malfunction.
Also, if the fluid level is low, it’s not as simple as a matter of topping it off. When your brake linings (brake pads and/or shoes) wear down, the brake fluid level will drop accordingly. So a low brake fluid condition must be followed up with a deeper examination of the system as a whole.
Brakes
Over the course of summer driving, your car’s brakes can often take a beating, especially if you took some summer road trips. Brake pads in particular are vulnerable to thermal cycling – the process of a material experiencing significant and rapid temperature changes due to alternating high heat and cold.
Our Automotive Experts will take off your wheels and inspect the brake pads and/or shoes for any cracking or major wear and tear. We will also, take a look at the rotors and drums to check for any major wear or cracking, as well as perform a visual inspection of the hydraulic components and hoses.
Battery
A battery can fail in any season, but while you’re doing all these other checks it’s a good idea to take a look at your battery as well. Take a look at the cable connections and posts: If you observe any corrosion, scrub the corrosive build-up away with a wire brush and a baking soda & water solution. Tighten the connections and clean the battery’s surfaces.
If you have a battery with removable battery caps, check your battery fluid levels. Not all batteries have removable caps, but if yours is a traditional removable cap battery you should top off low fluid levels using distilled water. Be extremely careful with this process, as the battery fluid is acidic and corrosive. You must wear safety glasses and gloves for this process. Or, if you prefer, just leave this task to our Automotive Experts.
Tires
Checking your tires before busy school driving is always a good move. This is especially true because, before we know it, fall rain-showers will be here. One of the major purposes of your tires’ tread is to wick away water to prevent the car from hydroplaning. But even if you’re not anticipating driving in rainy conditions, checking the condition of your tires is an important step to take.
You’ll want to check to make sure the depth of your treads is sufficient. One simple and effective way to do so involves a penny coin. Place the coin into the tread groove with Lincoln’s head down. If you can see all of his head, the tread is too worn, and you need new tires.
In addition to checking the tire tread, you’ll want to inspect the sidewalls for any bubbles, as well as for any cracking. Either one can be an indicator that your tires need replacement. Tires that are worn, damaged or underinflated can lead to a blowout at the worst possible time.
One check many people overlook when looking over their four tires on the ground is checking the fifth one in the trunk. Make sure to take a look at your spare tire. There’s nothing worse than having a blowout or flat and then finding that your spare is also out of commission.
Summer/Winter Tires vs. All-Season Tires
If you’re looking to optimize your tire performance, you may want to use tires with a summer tread during the summer months. Summer tires have a less pronounced tread and a shorter sidewall when compared with winter tires, which leads to sharper handling, increased fuel efficiency and more speed.
Of course, the trade-off for this improved performance is the time and potential expense of changing summer and winter tires with the season. The alternative is to buy all-season tires, which are usable at all times of the year.
This may seem like an overwhelming checklist of checks, but it’s always better to go the extra mile with inspection and preventative maintenance than end up being sorry you didn’t. By making sure your vehicle is in good shape in all these areas, you’ll ensure that your school-time driving is carefree and pleasant, and that you continue to have fond memories of driving with the kids and enjoying the school activities instead of worrying about vehicle safety and reliability.