After-Winter Car Care

Rust Check
Once you've thoroughly sprayed the underbody, check for signs of embryonic rust (small pits and bubbles) and take the necessary steps to stop any small rust spots from eating away at your vehicle. We've all seen those pillars of snow that form around bumpers and wheel wells. That's the most likely place for road salt to begin the erosion process. While you're at it, you might as well wash the whole car. Winter is not conducive to leisurely afternoons spent hosing off your vehicle and chances are it's been a while.

Brakes
Examine your brakes. Like wipers, brakes take on a bigger role during wintertime and should be checked to ensure that they've survived. Listen for brake noises such as grinding, chatter or squeals. Even if your brakes aren't making any distinctive noises, it's still a good idea to determine the amount of wear on the pads or drums, either by you or your mechanic. We often become accustom to the feel of worn brakes, without realizing what we're used to is a deteriorated ability to stop.

Fluids
Check all automotive fluids and top off as necessary. Winter driving conditions require your engine to work harder and deplete fluid levels faster. Some heavy winter drivers change their oil, opting for a thinner weight. Once you feel certain you've seen the last of consistently low temperatures, change back to an oil weight such as 10W/30 (or whatever is recommended in the owners' manual), formulated for warmer temperatures.

Interior
Go over your vehicle interior with a fine-tooth comb. This includes taking out and washing floor liners. Even if you have those nifty, heavy-duty liners, the volume of melted snow that gets tracked into vehicles can often overwhelm even the sturdiest mats.


Vacuum and clean the carpets, making sure they are bone dry before you put the liners back in. Since most of us tend to scurry out of the protection of a warm car into the protection of a warm building without taking time to tidy up, there's usually an extra build-up of litter hiding under the seats. Go over interior vinyl with a protective dressing. Car heaters can be as damaging and drying to vinyl as mid-summer sun.