After a long, cold winter, you’re probably itching to jump in your car and take off on a road trip. But before you go, it’s important to make sure your car is in top working condition. This prevents safety issues on the road like a flat tire or tires that slide around on wet, rainy roads. It also saves you the cost and headache of dealing with repairs and service when you’re out of town. Before you go anywhere, make your local Jiffy Lube store your first stop. We are dedicated to providing fast, efficient, and affordable spring maintenance checks for our customers’ cars. The best part is that in because April is Car Care Month, we are offering a springtime inspection for free. That alone should make you say “it’s time to contact a Jiffy Lube near me!”
Importance of Spring Car Care
While it’s important to take care of your car year-round, spring is an especially critical time to get it checked out. Winter, with its cold temperatures, pot holes, ice, and other elements, is particularly hard on your car. Problems often arise from hardships that your car endures over these few months such as cracks and leaks developing in your car’s fluid tanks, alignments that go bad from hitting potholes and uneven road surfaces, and batteries facing a shortened life span from exposure to the cold. The oil in your car may also be due for a change. You might even notice some signs of these problems, which makes it especially important to contact your Chicagoland Jiffy Lube store as soon as possible. If your car is leaking oil or coolant fluid, for instance, you might notice a puddle underneath the car when you park. Eventually, a lack of sufficient fluid will jeopardize the engine. If your car pulls to one side or the other when you let go of the wheel, you may need an alignment. A car that is slow to start may need a new battery.
Essential Springtime Services
Even if your car appears to be in good shape, it’s still a good idea to bring it in for basic service. At a minimum, your vehicle’s springtime checkup should include an oil change and a tire check.
Your vehicle needs to go in approximately every 5,000 to 7,000 miles for an oil change. However, it is especially critical that your car goes in to have its oil changed after winter. Exposure to cold temperatures can affect the engine’s performance. Our mechanics might also suggest switching over to a lighter-weight and higher performance oil for the upcoming warmer spring and summer seasons. This will enhance your car’s performance, improve your gas mileage, and even extend the longevity of your engine. We can also detect if any creaks have developed over the winter in the cracks, seals, or elsewhere along the fuel lines.
Getting your tires evaluated by a professional is also crucial for getting your vehicle road trip-ready. Over the winter, your car’s alignment may have been pulled out of position after driving down pothole-ridden roads. If you continue driving around in a car with a poor alignment, the wheels can eventually wear unevenly. This means you might have to replace them sooner than you anticipated. A car that’s out of alignment might also not perform at its peak potential. This can make steering and stopping more difficult. If the tires lose tread from uneven wear and pressure, your vehicle is at a higher risk of losing traction on wet and slippery roads. A tire check at your local Chicagoland Jiffy Lube store will also include a tire rotation if necessary. A rotation acts as a preventative measure to keep your tires from wearing out unevenly. Sometimes, a spring checkup might reveal that your vehicle needs to have new tires installed. Check with your local Jiffy Lube, as some locations will have tires in stock or can easily order and install them for you.
Spring Car Care Checklist
- Oil change
- Tires
- Battery
- Lights
- Windshield wipers
By now, you know why it is important to get your car’s oil changed and the tires checked out. However, there are other important items to check for wear and tear in April, too.
One of the most important is the battery. If your car’s battery dies, you won’t be going anywhere! Batteries are designed to last about three to five years. But living in a climate with extreme temperatures (either hot or cold) can significantly shorten a battery’s lifespan. Sometimes down to two years or less! You can look for warning signs that your battery’s life is nearing its end. This includes dimmer headlights, interior lights that flicker when you start the car, and an engine that is slow to turn over.
Although they won’t leave you stranded on the side of the road, having lights and windshield wipers that aren’t working properly can be hazardous. When you bring your car to us for a springtime evaluation, we will make sure all your light bulbs work and give the area around the bulbs a thorough cleaning. Dirt, salt, and other particles can accumulate in your car’s headlamps and reduce their visibility over time. We can also look to make sure your lights haven’t developed any cracks over the winter.
The windshield wipers, like the tires, bear the brunt of winter’s elements. After spending a season scraping over ice, sleet, and snow caked onto your windshield, your wipers can get worn out and might need to be replaced. As part of our comprehensive springtime checkup, we offer a wiper blade inspection to clean the wipers at a minimum and replace them if needed.
Why Choose Jiffy Lube?
You can go to any mechanic or dealership to get your vehicle checked out in the spring. But there are many advantages to bringing your car in to Jiffy Lube. Here, you’ll get a friendly, welcoming, and approachable staff who is ready to answer any questions you have about your vehicle and the services that it needs. While other places might charge an arm and a leg to check your car out, we are offering a free inspection in April in honor of Car Care Month! You don’t have to make an appointment ahead of time either, which means you can simply drop in when the time is convenient. With fast and efficient service, we’ll also get your car in and out of the shop as quickly as possible. In addition to coming in at your leisure, you are under no obligation to make any purchases to get this free inspection.
Now that you know the importance of springtime car maintenance, you’re probably saying “it’s time to find a Jiffy Lube near me”! We invite you to call or visit our website to learn more and find the closest location for professional service.
Jiffy Lube® recommends following manufacturer recommendations, where applicable, for maintenance schedules and service intervals.
Not all services are offered at each Jiffy Lube® location. Please check with your local Jiffy Lube® service center for specific services offered.
Go to ChicagolandJiffyLube.com for locations and services.