Winter is done. But your car? It’s still carrying the weight of it—salt, worn parts, low fluids, and all. Spring isn’t just about making your vehicle look good. It’s about keeping it running safely, efficiently, and without surprise breakdowns.
Here’s exactly what to check, replace, clean, and fix before spring hits full swing. If you’re serious about spring car maintenance, here is the list.
1. Check Your Brakes Before They Fail on a Wet Road
Winter driving abuses your brakes. Pads wear down faster, and rotors often rust. Pay attention to how they feel. Spongy pedal? Grinding noise? Steering wheel vibrations while stopping? Get them inspected now—not after a close call.
2. Test the Air Conditioning Before It Gets Hot
Don’t wait until the first heat wave to discover your A/C only blows warm air. Turn it on now. If it’s weak or musty, get it checked. A refrigerant recharge might fix it, or you could be looking at a blocked cabin filter or a failing compressor.
3. Swap Out Your Winter Tires
If you’ve been using snow tires, remove them. The rubber is too soft for warm pavement. Keeping them on wears them out faster and kills your fuel economy. Switch to all-season or summer tires now, and store your winter set correctly—cool, dry, and upright.
4. Check Tire Pressure and Rotate If Needed
Cold deflates your tires. Spring raises pressure, but it’s rarely even across all four. Use a gauge. Adjust PSI to match your car’s specs. Don’t rely on the sidewall. While at it, rotate the tires—front to back, back to front. It helps your tread wear evenly and extends its life.
5. Clean the Undercarriage
Salt clings to the underside of your vehicle and rots it from below. Don’t wait. Use a pressure washer or visit a car wash with an undercarriage rinse. One wash now can prevent rust repairs later.
6. Change Both Air Filters
Road grit and salt clog filters, making your engine work harder and your cabin air worse. Replace the engine air filter to improve performance, and swap the cabin air filter so you’re not breathing dusty winter leftovers all spring.
7. Inspect Lights and Signals
More extended daylight doesn’t mean lighting matters less. Check every bulb—headlights, taillights, blinkers, reverse, and brake. Replace anything dim or dead. Foggy lenses? Clean them with a restoration kit. It’s not cosmetic—it’s safety.
8. Top Off All Fluids
Pop the hood and check everything: oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer, transmission, power steering. Winter eats through fluids. Low levels can mean slow leaks or worse. Refill if they’re clean. Replace if they’re dark or gritty.
9. Wash and Wax the Paint
Beyond looking clean, this protects your car. Winter grime eats through your paint if left unchecked. Wash it thoroughly, especially around wheel wells and trim. Then apply wax. It shields the paint from UV rays, rain, pollen, and sap.
10. Check for Leaks
Look at the ground where your car usually parks. Puddles under the engine, near tires, or at the back end can all mean different things—oil, coolant, brake fluid, transmission fluid. Smell under the hood if needed. If anything drips, don’t guess—get it looked at.
11. Examine Belts and Hoses
Rubber doesn’t like temperature swings. Cold stiffens it, and heat makes it expand. Over time, this cracks belts and weakens hoses. Look for visible wear: cracking, splitting, bulging, or leaking. Replace anything suspicious before it breaks on the highway.
12. Test Your Battery
Don’t assume it’s in the clear even if it made it through winter. Spring and summer heat push weak batteries over the edge. If it’s over three years old, test it. Clean any corrosion off the terminals. Tighten loose clamps. Weak starts mean it’s time for a replacement.
13. Refresh Your Emergency Kit
Your shovel and ice scraper can go back in storage. But don’t forget warm-weather needs: sunscreen, allergy meds, bottled water, bug spray. Keep the essentials—jumper cables, flashlight, phone charger, and first aid kit. Add paper towels, gloves, and a multi-tool if you don’t already carry them.
14. Get a Wheel Alignment Check
Potholes do more than jolt your coffee; they knock your alignment out of place. If your car pulls left or right or your steering wheel isn’t centered when driving straight, get an alignment check. It’ll save your tires and improve fuel economy.
While at it, think about the damage happening right at home. Rolled curbs can mess with your alignment, wheels, and undercarriage over time, especially if you’re reversing daily. A curb ramp like Smooth Curb cushions that impact and reduce wear where it matters most.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to be a mechanic to keep your car in solid shape. You just need to pay attention. Winter is rough. Spring is the reset. Take a weekend, follow this list, and handle the basics. You’ll avoid significant problems, save money, and drive more confidently.
This isn’t about perfection. It’s about prevention. Small checks now beat expensive repairs later.
