Spring is the right time to clean your car

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    After months of snow, ice and sleet, spring has finally arrived, which means now is the time to give your car some much-needed attention.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
CHECKUP — Mike Kitchen works on replacing a sensor for a customer’s car at R. Kitchen & Sons on Bangor Rd. in Houlton.
    When temperatures begin to rise, many motorists take advantage of the weather to wash their cars. However, washing your vehicle is just the first step in saying good-bye to winter and hello to warmer weather.
    According to Mitch Holmes of Aroostook Auto Tech in Houlton, liquid calcium, which is used to salt roads during the winter months, is the most common cause of problems to the undercarriages of vehicles. And while many people wash the salt off the exteriors of their vehicles, few take the time to wash underneath.
    “The calcium chloride used on the roads is hard on everything underneath your car,” Holmes said. “People really needed to hose down the bottom of their vehicles. If you don’t, there is stuff that lodges up under your car that sits there. That stuff contains salt and can eat away.”
    Hosing off the underbody, particularly near the front and rear bumpers where salt-filled dirt can gather, is a good way to prevent rust.
    Spring is the busiest time for examining the underside of vehicles for many mechanics.
    “This time of year, we’re more concerned with checking suspension parts, brake lines and other items underneath the vehicle,” Holmes said. “Ball joints, tie rods, shock absorbers and struts, brake rotors, and brake lines can all be affected.”
    Holmes added at Aroostook Auto Tech — located on Mechanic Street in Houlton — every time a vehicle gets put on a lift, whether it’s for an inspection or an oil change, the front end gets inspected for defects.
    “A lot of cars come in for inspection at this time of year because a lot of people buy vehicles in the spring,” Holmes said. “So we find a lot of these problems while doing an inspection. We see an awful lot of corroded brake lines.”
    Another crucial check for your vehicles in the spring is the air conditioning system.
    “People tend to wait until it’s 80 degrees and then flick on their air conditioning only to find out something is wrong,” Holmes said. “Getting that system checked out now can lead to fewer problems down the line.
    The following checklist shows some of the more common spring maintenance tips motorists should consider.
• Remove snow tires — By state law, studded snow tires must be removed by May 1. While non-studded snow tires do not need to be removed by law, it’s a good idea to remove them so they are ready for use next winter. For those with all-season tires, spring is a good time to rotate the tires.
• Check your wiper blades — Wiper blades often freeze to windshields in the winter and can develop tears or cracks, which inhibit their ability to do their job.
• Brake check — If you hear grinding, see a leak under your vehicle near the tires, or feel a pulsating sensation when you apply the brakes, it’s a good idea to have them examined.  
• Fill those dings — Washing off the dirt should be followed up by an inspection for nicks and dings in your vehicle’s paint job. Covering those nicks early can prevent them from turning into bigger rust spots later.
• Interior cleaning — Vacuuming out your car is a good way to prevent smelly situations from occurring when the warmer temperatures arrive.
• Check all fluids to make sure they’re topped up — In the winter, fluids can become depleted as your engine works harder in the colder weather. Topping off the brake fluid, transmission fluid and engine coolant can prevent problems down the road.