Spring Service Checklist for Your Chevy

It’s almost springtime, which means a lot of Oklahomans are going to start their annual spring cleaning checklists. This year you should make sure to include your Chevy vehicle in your plans, especially if they’re not usually included when doing your spring cleaning sessions. But cleaning is just part of what you should be doing for your Chevrolet car, truck, or SUV, it’s also a great time to get some annual and biannual services done. We’ve put together a spring service checklist for you to work through this season, which we’d be happy to help you take care of right here at Jim Glover Chevrolet in Tulsa.

Yes, the first step should still be to give your Chevy a thorough wash and wax. Naturally you should stay on a pretty regular schedule of car washes, but it’s especially important to give your Chevy a thorough cleaning on the other end of winter. Snow, road salt, de-icing brine, and all kinds of other muck and grime build up throughout the season, so you want to wash all of that away once winter is in the rearview.

But don’t forget to get your vehicle waxed as well! While we recommend waxing your vehicle as often as you wash it, we understand why you might often skip this step, but you should do it at least twice a year, and spring cleaning is the perfect time for one of those instances. This will help protect your paint from the new elements of the coming seasons.

The general recommendation is to get your tires rotated whenever you get your oil changed, but whether or not it’s time to change your oil you should inspect your tires and possibly even get them rotated now that we’ve come through winter.

With your inspection, you should be checking tread wear but more importantly tire pressure. The constantly fluctuating temperatures inherent to the Tulsa area can cause your tire pressure to shift just as frequently, so you want to make sure your PSI levels match the suggested specifications.

Spring often brings heavy downpours and storms with it here in Oklahoma, which means your windshield wipers are going to be in frequent use. They were likely already put to the test through the winter months, though, and the last thing you want is a set of worn-out, streaky wiper blades when that first rain hits. If it looks like they’re leaving gaps or you can hear squeaking, make sure to replace them as soon as you can.

Speaking of your windshield wipers, you should also top off your washer fluid while you’re worrying about your windshield. But that’s just one of many fluids that might need to be addressed after a long, hard winter season. And while you’re changing or topping off fluids, you might as well replace some filters too. Here is a list of fluids and filters you should inspect (not every vehicle will have every fluid):

• Engine oil & filter
• Antifreeze/coolant
• Brake fluid
• Transmission fluid
• Power steering fluid
• Windshield washer fluid
• Differential fluid
• Cabin air filter
• Engine air filter

Lastly, you should give your brake system an inspection before the heavy rains start, as you’re going to need all the stopping power you can get. Listen closely as you apply pressure to the brakes, and if you notice any high-pitched squealing or grinding noises, or if the pedal feels “soft” as you apply pressure, you should bring your Chevy in for a professional inspection as you may need to replace your pads or rotors.