Spring is the right time to get your vehicle ready for the hectic summer driving season ahead. It's wise to have your vehicle checked out before summer's extreme vacation traffic and stop-and-go conditions begin earnestly.

The experts at the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence suggest the guidelines below on preparing your car:

* Read the owner's handbook and follow the recommended service schedules. Be careful on "regular" vs. "severe" schedules listed, and determine which is right for your driving conditions and practice.

* Seek an orderly repair facility with current equipment in the service bays and qualified automotive technicians being staff, as demonstrated by trade school diplomas, certificates of advanced course work and training, plus national certification of the individual technicians by ASE.

* Wash out and replenish the cooling system (radiator) according to the service manual's recommendations. The level, form and concentration of the coolant should be checked periodically. Make sure the engine has cooled down before detaching the radiator cap. Engine overheating is the most frequent summer breakdown.

* Have engine performance problems rectified, such as hard starts, harsh idling and stalling. You'll get improved gasoline mileage, and you could prevent more expensive repairs.

* Don't neglect your transmission and brakes. Costly repairs can be avoided by routine service. Neglected brakes can create safety issues, too.

* Find out an experienced auto technician to verify the condition of belts, clamps and hoses, but be proactive by looking for signs of wear, cracking or fraying.

* Have a marginally operating air conditioner system serviced by a technician qualified to deal with refrigerants. Older units often contain ozone-depleting chemicals that could be released into the air due to inappropriate or incompetent service.

* Replace the oil and oil filter as specified in the owner's manual. This easy, inexpensive service can increase the life of your vehicle.

* Replace other filters (air, fuel, PCV) as suggested in the service manual.

* Check the condition of tires, including the spare. Let the tires "cool down" before checking their pressure. Bumpy wear, "cupping", vibrations or "pulling" to one side implies troubles with your tires or suspension system.

* Replace your headlights with some good aftermarket headlights. Good custom headlights or even just a nice new set of H11 bulbs for your standard lights will make a massive difference when you're traveling at night. Very rarely do you realize how weak your headlights are until you upgrade. It is likely that the winter road grim has spoiled your lenses to the point where they really need to be replaced.

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