Get Your Car Ready for a Rainy Spring

Spring is just around the corner, which means warmer weather and plenty of rain. While spring cleaning may be at the top of your springtime to-do list, consider adding a spring car tune-up to your list. Although year-round maintenance is essential for preserving the quality and performance of your vehicle, seasonal maintenance is helpful for making sure your car is ready what whatever weather comes next. Our team at Classic Toyota of Tyler created this guide of tips to prepare your car for rainy spring days.

Replace Your Windshield Wipers

One of the most important ways to prepare to drive in the rain is to check your windshield wipers. Good windshield wipers are able to clear your windshield with every pass without leaving behind any steaks. These passes should be clean, removing the water easily, and not smearing the water around. Streaking and wet spots indicate that part of the blade is torn.

Windshield wipers making noise may also indicate that it’s time to replace your blades. As the wiper blade passes over your windshield, this should be a clean, quiet process. However, if you hear squeaking, this suggests that either silicone or rubber parts of the wiper blades are damaged. Another noise to listen for is a vibrating sound, almost like a chattering sound. This may occur if your blades are making jerking motions, moving the wiper at an uneven rate because the gaps in the blade move more quickly than the wiper parts that touch your windshield.

Ignoring replacing your windshield wipers can cause hazardous driving and long-term damage to your vehicle. If you’re caught in a rainstorm, having blades that don’t wipe properly may impair your vision. The poor weather may also affect the quality of your blades, causing their condition to worsen and ultimately leaving only plastic or metal from the wiper arm. Without any protection over it, this can scratch the glass on your windshield.

While windshield wipers may have manufacturer recommendations that say they last for a few years, the general recommendation is to replace them every six to 12 months. Aside from inspecting and replacing them before the spring, a good way to keep on top of your blade conditions is to ask a mechanic to inspect them each time you have an oil change. if you’re looking to extend the longevity of your new wipers, be sure to top off your windshield wiper fluids and use a squeegee or similar tool to remove tough stains rather than the wipers.

Check Your Tires

Having tires with enough tread to handle slick terrain is crucial for driving on a rainy Texas spring day. While the easiest way to check your tires is to visit our tire service center for an expert opinion, one way to check your tread yourself only requires spare change. Dubbed the penny test, insert the coin head-down in the part of your tire tread that’s lowest. If Abraham Lincoln’s head entirely disappears, this likely means your tires have adequate tread.

However, there are other factors to consider when checking the tread of your tires. Tires with improper pressure may incorrectly reflect the tread of your tires, and uneven pressure may cause uneven wear on your tires. Pressure typically fluctuates during the winter, especially with colder temperatures causing pressure to drop. Trying the penny trick gives you a starting point for checking your tires, but a professional opinion is still best.

Seeking a trained technician’s opinion can also help you determine if you need other tire services. For example, rotating your tires can help ensure the wear on your tires is even, helping them last as long as possible. It may also be useful to get an alignment, especially as potholes and bumpy roads may knock your tires out of alignment. Failing to realign your tires may lead to future damage. Make sure the technician checks and balances the tire pressure, too, to help prevent driving on over-inflated or under-inflated tires.

Consider Brake Service

Rainy road conditions often lead to hazards, requiring you to make sudden or unanticipated stops. It’s essential that you have brake pads that can withstand hard stops to protect you. While there’s no set schedule for when to replace your brake pads, it’s a good idea to check them at least every six months. Look at your brakes, and check to see if there’s dust present. Brake dust indicates normal wear on your brakes, but brake pads that are too clean or too dirty can be a cause for concern. Brake pads that are too thin are also a problem.

It’s also important to monitor your brakes while driving, especially if your vehicle has any warning lights related to brakes. For example, some cars have a brake warning light to indicate low brake fluid. Pay attention to how your vehicle behaves when you brake, such as if it or your steering wheel vibrates. This typically suggests a brake pad issue. Also, listen to your car while you brake. Most brake pads make a metal scraping sound when it’s time to change them, so if you hear this or any other suspicious noise, seek a professional’s opinion.

Professional brake service is the best way to ensure your car is ready to drive through rainy spring weather safely. A trained technician can examine all parts of your brakes and make recommendations based on the current status of your brake pads. It’s also helpful to make having your brake pads checked a normal part of your six-month maintenance routine, just like an oil change or checking your windshield wipers.

We’ve reached the end of our guide sharing tips about preparing your car for a rainy spring. If you have questions about vehicle maintenance or need one of these services performed on your car, visit our service center at Classic Toyota of Tyler. Our friendly Toyota-trained technicians can address any concerns you have about your vehicle, and we proudly only use genuine Toyota parts for our services. As a trusted name for Toyota maintenance in the Tyler area, we’re dedicated to providing reliable service to give you peace of mind on the road.

Toyota C-Hr by Cicero7 is licensed with Pixabay License