Giving Your Car a Spring Tune-Up

It’s been a long, cold winter, and spring is finally around the corner! There’s a lot of prep work to do to make sure your car is ready for the winter months, but there’s also plenty you can do to prepare for spring as well. The spring and summer months often come with long road trips and more frequent drives, so you want to make sure your vehicle is in top condition. The service team at Sunset Ford St. Louis has everything you need to know to spring clean your car in the guide below. Here’s how to tune your car for spring: 

1. Get Your Car Washed

The winter months in St Louis and beyond often come with freezing temperatures, salt on the road, and debris that gets up into your car’s nooks and crannies. It’s important to stop by a car wash as winter turns into spring, so a professional can clean it top-to-bottom and get rid of any buildup. You can also DIY a cleaner by adding baking soda to wash water, which removes salt buildup without damaging your paint job!

2. Check Your Tires

One of the simplest ways to spring tune-up your car is by checking your tires. It’s a good idea to get your tires inspected as part of your car’s regularly-scheduled maintenance, but you should also get them checked out as winter draws to a close. The winter months are harsh on your tires, with the cold air and ice often having a significant effect on the air pressure. Get your tires checked out by a professional, who may rotate them at the same time and make sure the tire tread is within the normal limit.

3. Replace Wiper Blades and Fluids

One of the many signs your car needs a tune-up is streaky wipers. Windshield wipers often have to work overtime during the winter months, especially if you live in an area with heavy snowfall or ice buildup. This can cause excessive wear and tear to your wipers, so you may have to get them replaced if you find that they’re streaking. Fortunately, wipers are easy and inexpensive to replace, and you can DIY them if you want! You should also make sure that your wiper fluid is topped off, and reapply windshield treatments if you live in a place that gets lots of rain in the spring months.

4. Check Your Battery

Winter is also tough on your car’s electrical system, putting particular strain on the battery. At the end of winter, it’s a good idea to get your battery inspected by a professional to make sure it hasn’t weakened. If it has more than the usual wear and tear, you may have to get a battery replacement, which is relatively straightforward at a qualified service center. 

5. Change Your Oil

Oil changes are another part of regular maintenance that’s essential to keeping your car running properly on the Fenton roads. Your specific vehicle will have its own oil change interval and type of oil, which your owner’s manual can tell you. You may also be able to get other services done during your oil change such as tire rotation, fluid top-offs, and battery checks–it’s a great way to get a lot of spring maintenance done in only one visit!

Learn How to Tune Your Car with Sunset Ford St. Louis! 

If you’ve seen any of the signs your car needs a tune-up, or if you just want to get a jump on spring maintenance, you can schedule a service appointment right on our website! You can also contact our service center or stop by our dealership near Arnold to talk to an expert in person about ways you can spring clean your car. Be sure to keep an eye on our service tips and tricks for more ways to keep your ride running smoothly as you drive around St Louis!