Summer Maintenance Tips

Even if you take good care of your vehicle, it can break down. And if it does, you want to take care of your passengers and yourself while you're waiting for help to arrive. Prepare an emergency kit that includes sunscreen, sunglasses, a sun hat, and a first aid kit. If you have to wait awhile, you'll be grateful for some extra food and water. Helping to cope with mechanical problems are road flares, jumper cables, a flashlight, an extra battery charger for your personal device, and a can of tire sealant.

Because your cards exterior and interior will be on constant display during the longer daylight hours, you want to keep your vehicle clean. You can give it a good wash at home or by taking it to a car wash. Consider adding wax to protect the finish.

Empty out the interior cabin so you can vacuum the seats in the floor. Give the dashboard and door panels as well as the inside of the windshield and windows a good scrub. Don't bring anything back into the vehicle unless it is absolutely necessary for your trip, such as the summer emergency kit that you previously created.

Your car’s air-conditioning system keeps you and your passengers cool during the sweltering days of summer. Be sure to run it at least once before the hot season to ensure that it is functioning properly. If it is not cooling the cabin as it should, you may be lacking refrigerant due to a leak. If that’s the case, you’ll need to have your system professionally inspected and repaired at our service department.

Oil that is dirty or missing can damage the engine, so check it regularly. If you don’t know where the dipstick is, look at your owner’s manual.

To check the oil, turn off the engine, and then look for the dipstick. Pull it out, wipe off the oil, put it back into its tube, and pull it out again. Inspect both sides. If the oil is under the minimum mark, then you need to add more.

Take your vehicle into our service department for regular oil and filter changes. The schedule will vary by vehicle but a good rule of thumb is to get it done every 5,000 to 7,500 miles.

While you’re checking the oil, look at the other fluid reservoirs. Their locations will also be described in the owner’s manual. Among those that need to be topped off are the coolant, transmission, brake, power steering, and windshield washer fluids.

If you haven’t switched from winter tires to all-weather versions, do it after the last snowfall of the season. Then inspect them regularly for any damage or tread wear. Put a penny into the tread with Lincoln’s head facing downward. If you can see the top of his head, you need new tires.

If your vehicle doesn’t have a built-in Tire Pressure Monitor, check the tire pressure about once a month. If it’s below the amount recommended in your owner’s manual or on the driver’s door jamb, fill the tire at your next fill-up.

If your tire pulls to the left or right when you want to drive straight, your wheels may need to be aligned. Every six months, get your wheels rotated so that they wear evenly.

As much you want your car to be properly maintained during the summer, you don’t want to take time out of your fun-filled days to do it yourself. Then take your vehicle to the service department at Leachman Buick GMC. Our factory-certified techs can take care of many of these tasks, leaving you with more free time to enjoy summer.