8 Reasons for a Fall Vehicle Maintenance Check-Up

Unfortunately, fall here in Calgary can often be a short season, an intermediary period between those hot summer days and those frozen icy conditions of winter. Fall remains the ideal time before the long stretch of winter to get your vehicle checked on to ensure it will be able to perform to its peak potential throughout the rigours of the upcoming months and months of cold, snow and ice. Charlesglen Toyota is the perfect choice for you to get a fall maintenance check on your Toyota and off-make vehicle, and to underline how important these checks are we’ve listed 8 reasons below on why you should book an appointment sooner rather than later.

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1. Get the Right Tires for Winter

This is one of the biggest ones, you need the right tires to tackle the conditions of winter. Just because it’s fall and there may not be any snow on the ground doesn’t mean it’s too early for winter or “snow” tires, in fact, it’s the perfect time. You should be getting your winter tires on when the temperatures consistently fall below 7℃, as they’re specifically geared not just for snow and ice, but for chilly temperatures as well.

2. Check Your Battery for the Cold

Each time you start your vehicle in winter it goes through quite a bit of effort to turn on, putting a lot of stress on your battery. What your battery also doesn’t like is wild swings in temperature, which Alberta is prone to. That’s why it’s so important before the cold season to get your battery checked, ensuring that it’s ready to start on a cold day, and that there’s no corrosion, loose wires or any other impediments affecting its performance.

3. Check-up on Your Brakes

Braking is incredibly important year-round, but a task that you don’t think too much about during the warm summer months where the roads are clear and you can stop relatively quickly. Driving in winter on snow and ice covered roads does not have this luxury, so you need to make certain that your brakes are in strong condition for safe driving, and that no issues have developed since your last check.

4. Prep Your Wipers for Winter

Something that you may not even think about (until it’s too late), or that you take for granted might just be your windshield wipers. Summer has bugs and winter has slush, with windshield wipers specifically designed to take care of both. Buying a new set of winter wiper blades isn’t a steep investment, and well worth it on those slushy days when snow and ice keeps piling up on your windshield.

5. Fluid Checks & Top-Ups

There are few things worse than being out on a particularly dirty winter day, pressing your windshield washer fluid button and seeing nothing come out, leaving you with a compromised windshield full of dirt and grime. Oil isn’t the only fluid you should endeavour to check and keep topped up, make sure your windshield washer fluid, brake fluids, transmission fluids, power steering fluids and coolants are all topped up (and don’t be afraid to check throughout the season as well).

6. Filter Changes

Just like you need to check and top-up/change your fluids, so should you with the filters in your vehicle. Filters are another one of those things that you may not regularly think about in regards to your car, but don’t underestimate their function. Filters help protect your vehicle’s important systems by preventing impediments from getting in. From oil filters to engine filters to cabin air filters and more, save yourself avoidable repairs in the long-term and faithfully check them.

7. Overall Part Checks in Prep for Winter

While many of our above points cover specific features and functions of your vehicle, it’s best to just get an overall check by a certified Toyota technician to ensure all of the parts in your vehicle, whether it be hose, belt, spring or more, are all in great condition and not in danger of failing when you need them most. Our winters are tough, and Toyotas are even tougher, but it never hurts to get your entire vehicle checked before you enter this cold period.

8. Peace-of-Mind

If this past year and a half has taught us one thing it’s that you never know what may happen, whether on a worldwide-scale, or just on a typical December trip to the grocery store. You need something to consistently rely on, something that you can count on being there for you no matter what winter throws your way, and your Toyota can be that dependable piece for you. Get a fall maintenance check and drive with peace-of-mind knowing that your vehicle is ready for it all.

Ready to get your vehicle checked? Book an appointment with our service team, today, to have a certified Toyota technician take a look over your car, truck, SUV or van. If you have any questions about our services or dealership, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at Alberta’s Celebration Destination!