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Fall Car Care Tips

Whenever the temperature changes, it's a good reminder that it's time to take care of some routine care maintenance. If the seasons change without taking a look at your car's upkeep (unless you have the same weather all year), it might be time for a visit to your local auto-shop. If you're in New England, you can schedule an appointment online at Stratham Tire.

 

Top off your Fluids

 This one is fairly basic. But it's always a good idea to check the levels on your antifreeze/coolant, brake fluid, and windshield wiper fluid. If any of these levels are too low, it's simple to buy a bottle of fluid at the gas station or your local auto parts store. Keeping these fluids topped off as often as possible is one way to stay safer on the road -- especially when frost begins to become a factor. If you're unshure about where to look for any of these fluids or aren't confident -- just stop by a local auto-repair or oil change shop like Stratham Tire, the technicians there will be more than happy to top your fluids off for a small fee.

Inspect your battery and lights

So you head out to your car on a cool fall morning, coffee in hand -- just on time to leave for work -- but you turn the ignition and all you hear is a click. Chances are your battery is dead. Before this happens, inspect your battery to make sure the terminals are secure and not corroded. If you find anything that doesn't look right, it might be time to get a new battery or (at the very least) perform some preventative maintenance on the one you have. This is what a corroded battery lead will look like:

After you check your battery, be sure to ensure that your car's headlights and tail lights are in good shape. Visibility is especially important when the weather begins to get cooler. 

Replace your car or truck's air filter

For most vehicles, your air filter should be replaced at least twice a year. In fact, if you can't remember the last time you replaced your air filter -- it's probably a good idea to go ahead and replace it! Replacing your air filter can have a very real impact on fuel efficiency and your vehicle's overall performance.

Is your car doing something "funny"?

Is your car doing something you can't explain? Vehicles of every kind can run into a wide variety of issues that cause symptoms ranging from odd noises to reduced performance. If your vehicle is doing something you think requires the help of an expert -- Stratham Tire is here to help.