At a Glance
Autumn car servicing is essential to prepare your vehicle for colder, wetter months and prevent you from spending a fortune on fixing winter breakdowns. Key checks include tyres, brakes, battery, fluids, lights and wipers to keep your car safe and road-ready. Heating, visibility, and emergency kit prep will keep you comfortable and maintain your car’s reliability in unpredictable conditions. DIY checks help, but a professional garage service from award-winning garages like InTown Automotive will prevent you from being stranded on a frosty morning.
Importance of Autumn Car Servicing
Autumn is on its way, followed by winter, bringing in heavy rains, potential snowfall and reduced sunlight, all of which impact your car’s on-road performance and safety. This makes autumn the perfect season to weather-proof your car for the challenges of winter driving.
By following your car’s servicing guide and using expert-recommended autumn car servicing tips, you can take a proactive approach to ensure your car runs smoothly.
Autumn maintenance generally involves inspecting key car components like tyres, wipers, batteries, and lights. This can help you better navigate the difficulties of driving during cold months, which are often accompanied by reduced visibility and wet, damp conditions.
Topping up fluids and checking your car’s heating system checks will reduce your likelihood of breakdowns or discomfort, keeping your vehicle winter-ready. Though they’re easy to overlook, these steps are essential for safety and comfort in unpredictable weather.
In this article, we’re sharing our top autumn car servicing tips you can use to keep your vehicle road-ready for autumn and beyond.
Why Autumn is the Smartest Time for a Seasonal Car Service
Autumn is a transitional season when the warm and dry summer slowly gives way to cooler, wetter and windier conditions. Reduced daylight, combined with impending cold weather and rain, can strain your car’s systems.
Expert-backed autumn car servicing tips suggest that seasonal car servicing can act as preventive maintenance. Getting your car serviced in September or October can help you identify potential problems before they translate into expensive repairs or an unexpected breakdown when winter arrives.
It’s important to carry out essential car maintenance checks before you head out on any long road trips in the colder months. You need to make sure that your car’s systems and components are in good working condition, preparing you to handle the demanding road conditions of the colder months ahead.
Book your autumn car service with our trusted team at InTown Automotive. Our award-winning garages offer full vehicle servicing and have received over 1000 positive reviews from satisfied customers. To learn more about our services, get in touch or call us on 01604 666 700 today.
Essential Autumn Car Checks
The change in weather conditions tends to impact certain car parts more than others, and these should be part of your seasonal car tune-up checklist. Conducting autumn car checks will keep your vehicle running smoothly even as temperatures drop, while also extending its life.
Tyres
Good tyre grip and regular maintenance matter all year, but their benefits stand out most when you’re driving in cold weather.
For effective wet braking, the AA recommends a tyre tread depth of a minimum of 1.6mm. However, you should consider replacing tyres at around 3mm, as tyre performance could drop significantly by this point. As part of preparing your car for autumn & winter, check your tyre pressure and look for cracks or bulges.
Battery
If your car’s engine takes longer to start after a rainy night or on a frosty, cold morning, you might have a battery issue.
Old or weak car batteries might perform decently in the summer, but they’re likely to have trouble starting during the winter months. Corroded battery terminals could also lead to reduced performance. Make sure to follow standard battery maintenance practices or get your car’s battery checked at the local garage to assess its performance.
Brakes
Checking your car’s brakes is a particularly important part of preparing your car for autumn maintenance.
Brakes need to be in top condition to handle wet and slippery roads during colder months. Pay special attention to squeaky or grinding noises, as these may indicate car brake problems like worn-out brake pads or poor brake-calliper alignment.
Fluids
We generally recommend checking your car’s fluid levels as one of our essential autumn car servicing tips, so you know that they’re at the right levels, concentrations and viscosity for the winter months ahead.
You’ll also want to top up your brake fluids and engine oil, as well as antifreeze/coolant and screenwash, to prevent common winter car problems and enjoy a smoother drive.
Visibility Matters
As the cooler months set in, daylight hours become shorter, making clear visibility a priority while driving. Prepare your car for autumn maintenance by getting your lights, wipers, and windscreen cleaned and checked to improve visibility and safety.
Lights
Another important maintenance task is to clean your headlights, brake lights, reverse lights, and fog lights. Dirt and grime can often reduce lens brightness and affect how well you see. Getting your car professionally checked at your local garage can also fix any headlight alignment issues, which can impact visibility and increase your risk of accidents.
Wipers
Wipers keep your windscreen in good condition by clearing away debris, moisture, and dirt, helping maintain clear visibility. Autumn is a good time to check your wiper blades, as the summer sun tends to degrade their rubber, which can lead to inefficient cleaning.
Windscreen Care
Grime build-up can cause your windscreen to reflect glare from oncoming headlights. This can pose a safety risk when you’re driving at night.
You can address this by cleaning your windscreen regularly with a damp cloth, using a solution of one part hot water and one part vinegar. Steer clear of ammonia-based chemicals, as they can damage interior surfaces in your car.
Prepare Your Vehicle
There are several ways you can get your car ready for the autumn-winter season. We recommend carrying out these checks and services to enjoy a smoother driving experience in the months ahead.
Heating System
As part of your autumn car servicing, consider getting your car’s heating and demister systems checked. These play a key role in keeping you comfortable and clearing away condensation and frost in colder months.
Under-chassis Wash
Professional car cleaning is another great addition to your car prep for autumn maintenance. This will help clear out any debris, especially dirt that has accumulated on the underside of your car, reducing the risk of winter corrosion. Doing this can help your car stay ready for the salt and grit that’s used on roads during the wet winter months.
Emergency Kit
If you don’t have one already, we strongly recommend putting together an emergency kit that you can store in your car’s boot. This should contain emergency supplies such as a warm blanket, a torch, spare batteries, a first aid kit, a high-vis jacket, a tyre repair kit, and jump leads.
DIY or Pro? What You Can Check and What’s Worth Leaving to Experts
You can do basic DIY checks in your car at home, but it’s best to consider a balanced approach towards autumn car servicing.
For example, you could do a coolant and oil check and inspect your wiper fluid yourself. But for more serious checks, it’s smarter to book an appointment at a reputable garage like InTown Automotive. Brake inspections, anti-freeze concentrations, battery checks, and full car servicing are best left to experienced mechanics.
A professional will use modern diagnostic tools and carry out scans to detect early signs of mechanical or electrical issues. This can help keep your car ready for changing seasons and give you peace of mind.
Contact In Town Automotive for Professional Vehicle Services Today
These essential autumn car servicing tips can help you be better prepared for winter. If you’re looking to take the stress out of seasonal car maintenance, we advise booking a full vehicle servicing with InTown Automotive. With over 15 years of experience, our garages offer high-quality car services and repairs to customers across Northampton and Kettering.
Our advanced diagnostic systems allow us to catch problems early and keep you safe on the road. Our mechanics are well-equipped to tackle various car issues and enhance your vehicle’s health to keep it running safely and efficiently.
We recommend bringing your car into our garage for an all-inclusive health check. We provide reliable, expert servicing for air conditioning, cambelts, exhausts, wheel alignment, and much more.
What’s more, our Northampton garage is a fully accredited MOT test centre and offers a FREE 16-point full vehicle health check.
Visit our services page or contact us to book an appointment today.
bookings@intownautomotive.co.uk