Regular car maintenance is worth your time throughout the year, but it becomes especially important as temperatures drop. Fall and winter pose unique threats to vehicles, as cold air, inclement weather, and road hazards all jeopardize the safety and condition of your vehicle—including your tires, engine, and brakes. Here are a few tips to get your car ready this fall. 

Top Tips for Fall Car Maintenance

1. Inspect Your Tires

As temperatures get colder, tire pressure drops. This can make your car less safe to drive, as your tires' traction and grip suffer when they're not fully inflated. In addition to keeping tire pressure at the recommended pounds per square inch measurement, you want to make sure the tread of all your tires is still deep enough to work well in the snow, ice, and wintry mixes to come. If any of your tires appears worn too far down—with less than 1/16 of an inch of tread in them—you'll want to replace them. 

2. Top Off Your Oil

The colder months of the year can be brutal on your engine, and you want to make sure it's being lubricated as well as possible. That's where motor oil comes in. If the oil in your car is too low, it could do more damage in late fall and winter than during other times of the year. Make sure it's topped off, and consider a professional oil change if you haven't had one in more than 6,000 miles. 

3. Check Your Brakes

Before winter arrives, you'll want to make sure your car's brakes are operating in peak condition. Worn-down brake pads or delayed responsiveness could spell trouble under hazardous conditions no matter how well your tires grip. While there are techniques for DIYers to inspect their own brakes and brake pads, it’s best to get a professional inspection from an auto repair expert for this part of the vehicle. 

Drivers in Tennessee looking for new tires or top-notch auto repair should reach out to the team at Cookeville Tire & Auto. For a quarter-century, the professional technicians at Cookeville Tire & Auto have been handling everything from regular vehicle maintenance to more complicated jobs like engine and transmission work, complete with road hazard warranties. Visit the team's website to learn more about their auto services, or call directly at (931) 526-9022.