As we welcome in December, we wanted to prepare our loyal customers for the upcoming winter months by putting together some of our car maintenance tips for winterization! Even though we live in a warmer state, the changing temperatures & changing seasons are reason enough for some advice!
Cabin Air Filter Replacement
The wintertime is a great time to replace your air filter. Who wants to sit in a musty vehicle? No one. The odd smells most likely come from a dirty cabin air filter if you notice a strange scent. A cheap filter only blocks dust from getting inside your vehicle. A higher-quality filter will trap much smaller particles and help keep pollen and other allergy-causing debris out of your car. But by installing a new filter, you are improving the air you breathe when driving.
Tire Inspection
One significant step you can take in the winter is to get a full tire inspection from our skilled auto mechanics. You can trust our expert technicians to assist you with tire balance, repair, rotation, & more. The consequences of not rotating one's tires can be deadly. Without routine rotation, the tire treads can wear and cause unsafe driving situations in the form of hydroplaning, skidding on snow or ice, heat-buildup, and increasing your tire blowout risk. According to an NHTSA report, inadequate tread depth is responsible for more than 25% of all tire-related car accidents.
Another widespread winter car issue is low tire pressure. When the weather is colder, the molecules in the air move slower and get closer together, resulting in a loss in tire pressure. In December, the last thing anyone needs is the stress of a flat or the tire light on your dash to come on. Underinflated tires skid more easily on wet pavement & cause your brakes to work even harder to slow down. Low tire pressure can also affect fuel economy negatively & overall decreases the lifespan of your tires. Prevent all of these issues by taking the time to get a tire inspection with the expert auto mechanics at Walt's Auto Service!
Test Your Defroster
There is nothing more annoying than waiting for one's windshields to defrost when you're in a rush. Besides being a nuisance, foggy windshields can severely limit visibility & make driving safely a challenge. If your vehicle doesn't de-fog in a couple of minutes, it might be a sign of a deeper issue, such as an internal leak.
Emergency Kit
Do you have an emergency kit ready to go in your car? Perhaps some snacks and warm clothes if you're stranded and waiting for a tow service? Do you have jumper cables in your vehicle? An emergency kit is something every driver needs to have but hopefully will never need us. Make a point to make one as soon as you can. Some everyday items in a cars emergency kit include:
Thermal blanket/sleeping bag
First-aid kit
Multi-tool that includes a knife
Flashlight and charger or batteries
Jumper cables
Extra food (peanut butter, dried fruit)
Cellphone charger and spare battery
Shovel
Ice scraper
De-icer
Flares
Oil Changes
We all know that oil change service is a standard aspect of auto repair maintenance that at regular intervals need to be performed. & that aspect doesn't change in the wintertime! At Walt's Auto Service in Torrance, CA, and serving the communities of Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, Hawthorne, Carson, and Gardena, our auto mechanic team can create a specialized auto repair maintenance schedule that works for your vehicle, and that includes oil change service!
We hope you've found this blog information about the maintenance steps you should take for your vehicle this winter! Walt's Auto Service is the place to be when you need auto repair services and a great auto mechanic you can trust. Our ethics of honesty and trust make us one of the most reliable auto repair shops in Torrance and the surrounding regions of Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, Hawthorne, Carson, and Gardena! We are AAA certified and are proud to provide you with the best in-house and nationwide 3-year/36,000-mile warranty in the South Bay area. When you need a steady hand and straight talk, bring your car to Walt's. Just book an appointment or give us a call. We are located at 340 Van Ness Ave Unit A, Torrance, CA 9050.
We look forward to seeing you soon!