Back-to-School Car Safety: 7 Things to Check Before the School-Year Rush
Back-to-school season means busy mornings, school drop-offs, after-school activities, sports practices, and a lot more time in the car. The last thing any family needs is a warning light, dead battery, flat tire, or brake problem when everyone is already running late.
Before the school-year routine gets into full swing, it’s a good time to make sure your vehicle is ready for the months ahead.
At Honest1 Auto Care Federal Heights, we recommend paying particular attention to these seven areas.
1. Check Your Tires
Your tires are one of the most important safety components on your vehicle.
Check the tire pressure and look for uneven tread wear, cracks, cuts, or bulges in the sidewalls. Uneven tire wear can also be a sign of an alignment or suspension problem.
Don't rely entirely on the tire-pressure warning light. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends checking tire pressure when the tires are cold and using the vehicle manufacturer's recommended pressure found on the driver's-door label or in the owner's manual.
Colorado potholes and rough roads can be especially hard on tires and alignment, so if your vehicle is pulling to one side, vibrating, or showing unusual tire wear, have it inspected.
2. Have Your Brakes Inspected
School traffic means plenty of stopping — crosswalks, school buses, traffic lights, parking lots, and unexpected stops.
Pay attention to:
- Squeaking or grinding noises
- A brake pedal that feels different than usual
- Vibration or pulsation while braking
- The vehicle pulling while braking
- A brake or ABS warning light
If something doesn't feel or sound right, don't wait for it to get worse. A brake inspection can determine whether your brakes need service now or still have plenty of life remaining.
3. Test the Battery
A vehicle that won't start can turn an ordinary school morning into a major headache.
Summer heat can be tough on automotive batteries, and a weak battery may not give you much warning before it fails. NHTSA recommends having the battery and charging system checked as part of preparing a vehicle for dependable driving.
If your engine is cranking more slowly than usual, you've needed a jump-start recently, or you don't remember the last time the battery was checked, now is a good time to test it.
4. Check Your Lights
As the days gradually get shorter, you'll increasingly depend on your vehicle's lighting.
Check your:
- Headlights
- Brake lights
- Turn signals
- Taillights
- Hazard lights
Brake lights and taillights are particularly easy to overlook because you normally can't see them while driving.
Good lighting isn't just about seeing the road. It helps other drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and children see you.
5. Don't Ignore a Check Engine Light or Other Warning Light
It's easy to postpone dealing with a dashboard warning light when the vehicle seems to be driving normally.
That's not always a good idea.
A check engine light can have many different causes, which is why reading a trouble code alone doesn't necessarily identify what needs to be repaired. Proper diagnosis involves determining why the vehicle's computer detected the problem.
The same principle applies to ABS, battery, temperature, oil-pressure, and tire-pressure warnings.
If a warning light is on, have the cause diagnosed rather than simply clearing the code and hoping it doesn't return.
6. Check Fluids and Wipers
A quick maintenance check should include engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield-washer fluid, and other fluids appropriate for your particular vehicle.
This is also a good time to look at the windshield wipers.
Colorado weather can change quickly. Worn wiper blades that seem adequate on a sunny afternoon can become a serious visibility problem during a sudden rainstorm.
NHTSA recommends inspecting wiper blades for wear and checking that vehicle fluids are properly maintained.
7. Pay Attention to the Little Things
You drive your vehicle every day, so you're often the first person who can tell when something has changed.
Maybe there's a new vibration at highway speed.
Maybe the steering wheel isn't quite straight.
Maybe you hear a noise when turning.
Maybe the air conditioning isn't cooling as well as it did earlier this summer.
Or maybe you've noticed a small fluid spot where you park.
These symptoms don't automatically mean something expensive is wrong. But catching a developing problem early can sometimes prevent it from becoming a much larger repair.
A Little Prevention Can Make Busy Mornings Easier
Back-to-school season is hectic enough without an unexpected vehicle problem.
Whether you're driving children to school, sending a new driver off to high school or college, commuting to work, or heading to the classroom yourself, a dependable vehicle makes the daily routine a little easier.
If you're unsure about your brakes, tires, battery, warning lights, or another concern, the team at Honest1 Auto Care Federal Heights can inspect your vehicle and explain what we find.
We explain. You decide.
Serving drivers in Federal Heights, Westminster, Northglenn, Thornton, and the surrounding Denver metro area.
