Seasonal Auto Repair Guide: Keeping Your Vehicle Running Smoothly Year-Round

In El Paso, Texas, factors like your driving habits and your vehicle’s age and mileage can directly impact your auto maintenance and repair requirements. While drivers in this part of the country should definitely take this into consideration, it’s equally important to understand that vehicles’ service needs change throughout the year.

If you can determine the best way to take care of your vehicle during all four seasons, you’ll keep your car running more smoothly than ever before. With our seasonal auto repair guide, you’ll know what services to prioritize in winter, spring, summer, and fall — and how to find an auto repair shop that can take care of this work.

Why El Paso Auto Repair Matters

Before you can learn about your car’s changing maintenance and repair requirements throughout the year, it’s crucial to understand the importance of auto repair in general. By paying attention to your vehicle’s needs and regularly visiting mechanics in El Paso, you’ll be able to:

• Avoid breakdowns: Regular auto service from qualified technicians can help you resolve obvious problems and prevent less noticeable issues from getting worse.
• Work with knowledgeable professionals: The technicians working at reputable auto repair shops know exactly what they’re doing. As a result, your vehicle will get much better service when you visit one of these businesses instead of attempting to perform the repair yourself.
• Save money in the long run: If your vehicle breaks down unexpectedly, you’ll likely have to spend a ton of cash to get it back on the road. By getting minor repairs when you need them and taking maintenance seriously, you’ll spend less than you otherwise would on your car.
• Stay safe on the road: The more effort you put into maintaining your vehicle, the safer it (and, by extension, you and your passengers) will be.
• Enjoy improved performance: Frequent tune-ups and other maintenance services can significantly improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency and deliver other performance benefits.

The Four Seasons of Auto Repair

Prioritizing specific auto repair and maintenance services in each season is an excellent way to keep your car running like it should all year. Here’s a rundown of tasks to take care of:

Winter

El Paso isn’t the snowiest city in the country, but it does receive a few inches of snow every so often. For this reason, winterizing your car at the start of the winter season is definitely a good idea.

One of the most important steps you’ll need to take during the winter is switching to the right tires for ice and snow. In many parts of the country, people use winter tires for this purpose. These tires are made from specialized rubber that won’t harden in extreme cold. But since snow is relatively rare in El Paso, all-season tires will likely be your best bet.

Windshield wipers can also struggle with ice and snow, but taking a few steps ahead of time can make this a non-issue. First, you’ll want to install winter wipers, which come with rubber that prevents ice from collecting on their blades. Along with that, be sure to replace your windshield wiper fluid regularly (and use wiper fluid made specifically for wintery conditions during the colder months).

As the season continues, you’ll want to monitor your tire pressure closely. Whenever the temperature outside changes by 10 degrees, your tire pressure could change by 1 psi. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to check your tire pressure and refill your tires more frequently at this time of year.

Spring

When spring arrives in El Paso, the first thing you should do is to de-winterize your vehicle. That might involve replacing your car’s tires since although all-season tires can perform well during the spring months, the same isn’t true for winter tires. And if you installed winter wipers during the previous season, make sure to swap them out for standard windshield wipers. Doing so can help you avoid unneeded strain on your wiper motor.

After that, you’ll want to inspect your tires for signs of wear and tear. Without sufficient traction, your wheels won’t be able to handle spring rain, so check your tire treads to ensure that none of your wheels is balding. Since potholes commonly form during winter and spring, you might also need wheel alignment service at this time of year.

Next, it’s time to do some spring cleaning by topping off your vehicle’s fluids. Fluids that might need a refill include:

• Wiper fluid: Most drivers use this fluid more often than normal during the winter, so you’ll want to check your wiper fluid level when spring arrives.
• Motor oil: There’s never a bad time to check your oil level — after all, this fluid is the lifeblood of any vehicle.
• Brake fluid: If you don’t have enough brake fluid, braking will take longer and require more effort.

Finally, there’s a possibility that winter road treatments have built up on your car over the past few months. If you don’t remove these chemicals right away, they can cause rusting or other problems, which is why getting a car wash at the start of spring is a smart move.

Summer

In El Paso, the summer months are synonymous with road trips — and intense heat. With that in mind, you’ll want to make sure that your air-conditioning (A/C) system is in full working order at this time of year. After all, these systems gradually lose efficiency over time, even if they haven’t technically developed a leak.

Depending on your A/C system’s condition, you might need to clean the condenser, fully recharge the system, or run diagnostics and performance tests to check for other issues. To handle all these services and more, visit a reputable auto shop at the start of summer.

Just like you and your passengers, your vehicle needs to stay cool during summer. The cooling system is responsible for keeping your car’s heat under control but can develop problems of its own. If that happens, get a mechanic to inspect your cooling system and resolve any problems.

Fall

Fall isn’t particularly demanding on vehicles, but that doesn’t mean that you should neglect your car’s needs during this season. Instead, this is the perfect time of year to inspect your vehicle and get it ready for winter.

Batteries, brakes, and cooling systems can all be affected by the arrival of cooler temperatures. Thus, it’s in your best interest to schedule a service appointment during autumn to ensure that each of these systems and components is in good shape. And if you haven’t already gone shopping for winter or all-season tires, late fall is an excellent time to take care of this task.

Additionally, you can take care of your car during this season by creating an emergency kit (or if you already have one, checking your existing kit and getting rid of expired items). Some items that should be in your emergency kit are:

• A fully-inflated spare tire
• Jumper cables
• A flashlight
• A tool kit
• A compass
• A first aid kit (including antibiotic ointment, bandages, aspirin, and similar items)
• Nonperishable foods and drinking water
• Duct tape
• A cell phone charger
• Blankets

Don’t Ignore These Auto Repair Services

By following this advice, you’ll be well on your way to taking good care of your car throughout the changing seasons. Of course, this list only covers some of the repair and maintenance services vehicles need to meet their full potential. You’ll also have to visit an El Paso auto repair shop for jobs like:

• Oil changes: Your car needs motor oil to function correctly, but this oil collects dirt over time and begins to break down. At that point, you’ll need an oil change to keep your vehicle running smoothly.
• Brake repair: Even the most experienced motorists put themselves and other drivers at risk if their vehicle doesn’t have a functional brake system. If your brakes have developed problems, schedule brake repair immediately.
• Air filter replacement: When your air filters become clogged, the well-being of your engine’s parts could be endangered — not to mention your health. Fortunately, air filter replacement can help you avoid these problems.
• Tire maintenance: Like any other part of your vehicle, tires sometimes need attention. Thus, it’s wise to take care of tasks like wheel alignment, tire rotation, and tire balancing regularly.

Auto Repair in El Paso: What To Look For

Finding an auto repair shop that’s qualified to take care of the services you need is key to successful seasonal auto repair and maintenance. Before choosing a shop, make sure that it offers:

Highly Skilled Mechanics

In El Paso, the skill level of a shop’s mechanics ultimately determines the quality of service. When your shop employs ASE-certified technicians, you’ll have nothing to worry about in this regard.

All the Services You Need

No auto repair shop can expect to thrive if it only handles one or two services. Instead, your shop of choice should be able to provide all the auto repair and tire services in this article and more.

Chances To Save on Service

Just ask any El Paso driver — taking care of your vehicle can get expensive. To keep your expenses under control, look for a shop that helps its customers save with financing options and valuable coupons.

Locations Near You

No one in or around El Paso should have to go out of their way to get auto repair service. Finding a shop with locations in El Paso’s city limits and communities like Las Cruces and Alamogordo can help you avoid this.

To get every one of these benefits, make Martin Tire Company your auto shop of choice throughout the year. In addition to these perks, we’ve spent over 70 years taking care of auto repair in El Paso and beyond. To benefit from our decades of experience, book an appointment today!