Essential Spring Car Care Tips

The peak spring and summer getaway season is getting underway, so it’s important your vehicle is ready before you are on the road again.

These common sense car care tips can help prevent costly breakdowns from dead batteries or flat tires, being locked out of your vehicle, or worse.

Get a Check-Up

Take your vehicle to a trusted repair facility to perform any needed maintenance before heading out on a long trip.

Oil changes, fluid level checks, battery tests and tire inspections go a long way toward reducing the chances of a breakdown.

Always follow the advice of your vehicle manufacturer, whether you are driving a vehicle you purchased or leased.

These are general guidelines –

Every 5000 miles/6 months: get a lube, filter and oil change. Check tire pressure, condition and wheel alignment. Rotate and balance tires. Inspect shocks for leaks, cracks, damage or wear.
Every 25,000 miles/2 years: Change brake pads and filters. Flush and change transmission fluid. Flush and change coolant.
Every 50,000 miles/3 years: Change ties. Resurface or replace rotors and drums. Check and change belts. Change the radiator hose. Flush and change fuel lines.
Every 75,000 miles/4-5 years: Change battery, water pump, and brake lines and check constancy velocity (CV) joints.

Here are more spring/summer maintenance tips from Consumer Reports, including the approximate cost of each.

Check the Tires

With low-profile tires and the elimination of spare tires, many newer vehicles are especially susceptible to roadside trouble, so give your tires extra attention before setting off on your road trip.

Check for tell-tale bulges, bald spots, and uneven wear.

Be sure tires are properly inflated according to manufacturer recommendations.

Over-inflation can lead to blowouts, under-inflation will reduce fuel efficiency.

Emergency Kit

Never leave home without one.

Purchase a packaged emergency kit that contains the following – or create one yourself – and leave it in the trunk or cargo area.

mobile phone and car charger,
flashlight with extra batteries,
first-aid kit,
tire pressure gauge and adjustable wrench,
windshield washer solution,
jumper cables and emergency flares or reflectors,
drinking water and extra snacks and food for travelers and pets,
a blanket.

Prevent Lockouts

Keyless ignition on late model vehicles has a downside – more of us are forgetting to take the fob and lock ourselves out. That means calling AAA or a tow truck to open the door.

It sounds simple, but it’s worth a reminder – Always take the key fob or keys when exiting the car and bring a spare car key on every trip.

Avoid exposing keyless-entry remote or smart keys to water.
Replace the key or fob battery when recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.

how to save money on a rental car — Photo: carcrashes.com

If You Have a Breakdown

Safely steer your car off the roadway. Turn on the emergency flashers to alert other drivers.

Driver and passengers should get out of the vehicle on the side facing away from traffic if possible.

Once everyone is in a safe location, request assistance from a road service provider, or from an onboard service like OnStar.

Comply with the Move Over Law

Observe the Move Over Law when law enforcement or emergency vehicles are on the side of the road. This is the law in all 50 states.

Change lanes or slow down to give sufficient clearance.

See our article on what to do if you are pulled over by a police officer.

Drive Safely

Drive distraction-free.

Avoid texting or other distracting activities while driving, including interacting with a cell phone, talking with passengers or looking at other objects in the vehicle.

This article was published originally in Spring 2017 and is updated and re-published annually, including for Spring/Summer 2025

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.