How Should I Prepare My Car For Fall Weather?
As the 2025-2026 school year approaches, parents and guardians are busy preparing for the daily routine of drop-offs, pick-ups, and everything in between. Ensuring your vehicle is ready for the road is an essential part of that preparation. A well-maintained vehicle not only ensures your family's safety but also provides peace of mind during longer wait times due to school traffic in Graham or Yelm, WA.
While there are some basic safety checks you can perform at home, Graham Auto Repair offers something even more comprehensive—a complimentary full vehicle health inspection with every service. This detailed inspection helps catch potential concerns before they become costly breakdowns, ensuring a smooth and safe school commute.
Let’s explore the top 5 vehicle safety checks you can do at home, and see how our professional inspections go beyond the basics.
1. Tire Inspection:
- Why It's Important: Tires are the only part of your vehicle that makes contact with the road. This makes them crucial for safe driving. Proper tire maintenance ensures better traction, handling, and fuel efficiency. Worn or under-inflated tires can lead to dangerous situations. Especially as we approach the rainy Fall Season in Washington State!
- What You Can Do: Regularly check the tire pressure using a reliable tire gauge. Inspect the tread depth to ensure they are all in good condition. Don’t forget to check the spare tire as well!
- Our Approach: During our full vehicle health inspection, our technicians assess tire wear, pressure, and alignment to ensure your tires are safe and ready for the road. We’ll let you know if a tire rotation or replacement is necessary to keep your vehicle performing at its best.
2. Brake Inspection:
- Why It's Important: The braking system is your vehicle's most critical safety feature. Properly functioning brakes are essential for safe driving. They are especially important during the frequent stops and starts of a school commute. There are many components to the brake system that all wear down over time, and need to be inspected regularly.
- What You Can Do: Listen for any unusual noises when braking. Pay attention to any changes in the way your brakes feel. A squealing noise or a soft brake pedal can be a sign that your brakes need an inspection.
- Our Approach: In our complimentary vehicle health inspection, we perform a visual check of your brakes. If the brake pads are accessible, we’ll measure their thickness to ensure they’re still within safe limits. If we determine that your vehicle needs a more in-depth inspection, we’ll recommend scheduling a full brake inspection. This involves removing the wheels to thoroughly inspect the brake pads, rotors, calipers, and other components of the braking system. We'll recommend any necessary repairs or replacements to ensure your vehicle's brake system functions properly.
3. Fluid Levels Inspection:
- Why It's Important: Your vehicle relies on various fluids to keep its components running smoothly. Fluids like engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, and transmission fluid are vital to preventing the engine from overheating, ensuring smooth gear shifts, and maintaining effective braking.
- What You Can Do: Check fluid levels regularly and top them off as needed. If you notice any fluid leaks, it's important to have them diagnosed right away.
- Our Approach: During our vehicle inspection, we check all essential fluid levels and top them off if necessary. We will check the fluid color and show you photos of any that need to be replaced. We’ll also look for any signs of leaks and advise you on any additional services needed to keep your vehicle running efficiently.
4. Lights and Signals Inspection:
- Why It's Important: Functioning lights and signals are crucial for safe driving. Especially as daylight gets shorter in the Fall. Headlights, brake lights, turn signals, and hazard lights help ensure that other drivers can see you and understand your intentions on the road.
- What You Can Do: Test your vehicle’s lights and signals regularly. Have someone help you check the brake lights and turn signals to ensure they’re working properly. Replace them right away when they stop functioning.
- Our Approach: As part of our vehicle inspection, we will check all exterior lights and signals to make sure they’re in good working order. If any bulbs need to be replaced or if there’s an issue with the wiring, we’ll let you know, and can take care of it for you.
5. Wiper Blades Inspection:
- Why It's Important: Clear visibility is essential for safe driving, especially as we approach the rainy Fall Season. Wiper blades that are worn out or damaged can leave streaks on the windshield, reducing your ability to see the road ahead.
- What You Can Do: Inspect your wiper blades regularly for signs of wear, such as cracks or stiffness. Replace them if they aren’t clearing the windshield effectively. Don't forget to check and fill the windshield wiper fluid!
- Our Approach: During our inspection, we’ll check the condition of your wiper blades and recommend replacement if they show signs of wear. We want to ensure that you have clear visibility during all driving conditions.
⭐️ Bonus Tips:
- Ask Your Service Advisor About Our VIP Rewards! At Graham Auto Repair, you'll earn Reward Dollars starting with your very first visit. Plus, get bonuses for referrals and discounts on oil change services.
- Upgrade Your Service with Wynn’s! We offer Wynn’s Professional-Grade Fluid Services to clean and protect your vehicle’s vital systems—like the transmission, cooling system, fuel system, and more. These services can help improve performance, reduce wear, and extend the life of your vehicle.
Ready to Book?
- 📞 Call Graham: (253) 375-8343
- 📞 Call Yelm: (360) 515-9776
- 📲 Book online for fast & easy scheduling: Click Here
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