When the first chilly days of autumn are upon us, this amounts to mother nature giving us fair warning of the cold days to come. Well "forewarned is forearmed" and in car care this means a variety of things are ready to be done. Many are simple things the home mechanic can do, others might call for a trained mechanic. Often times the car manual that comes with the vehicle will suggest seasonal maintenance as well as regular, car age date, and mile mark maintenance requirements and suggestions. If not, many after-market books provide such tips, a copy of which is good to have handy in the glove box.
Before the weather gets truly cold, cars should be washed thoroughly. An undercarriage wash and sealing will rid vehicles of summer buildups from storm puddles, beach salt and sand, and other grime. This treatment will also prepare and protect cars for winter storm sludge, salts, sand, and chemicals. A fresh wax job will protect the paint job over the autumn. The farther north a vehicle operates, the more often it will need repeat protective treatments. This is also a good time to vacuum and clean the car interior.
In colder zones, seasonal maintenance includes testing battery strength. In all zones cars should have their radiators flushed or at least have the antifreeze levels checked, the tires should be inspected for damage and tread wear, and seasonal oil changes performed, all of which are amongst the things that can easily be done by many home mechanics. It's never too late to start learning, either. A qualified mechanic may be needed for brake checks and for cleaning and maintenance of the heating and defrost system, which can often be compromised by gases and fumes from the car engine. This is also the time to stock the car with ice scrapers, gloves, flashlights with fresh batteries (or replace them with hand crank dynamo powered flashlights) and other winter standbys as needed, such as tire chains and de-icer crystals, sand or rock salt.
Proper seasonal car upkeep is vital to keep cars running their best for now and the long haul. The best kept vehicles have the proper maintenance performed seasonally.