Spring Car Checks After a Kent Winter
Written by Petro Olekhnovych, mobile mechanic in Aylesham, Kent
Good spring car maintenance starts with washing off the winter salt, then checking your wipers, tyres and any pothole damage. After that, look at whether a service or filter change is due. Most of these checks take a few minutes on your driveway, and they can catch problems before they get worse.
Wash off the road salt, underneath too
Roads are gritted with salt through the cold months. That salt sticks to the car, and it helps rust to form.
SEAT’s own spring advice says winter salt build-up is “a recipe for rust” and recommends cleaning the wheels and the underside, not just the paintwork. A pressure washer or a jet wash that reaches under the sills and arches is ideal.
While you are down there, look for:
- Rust bubbling on the sills, wheel arches and door bottoms.
- Leaves and mud packed into drain holes and around the bonnet and windscreen.
- Any fresh drips on the ground under the car.
If you live near the coast, salt air adds to the problem. Our post on rust checks for cars near the Kent coast goes into more detail.
Check your wipers and screen wash
Winter is hard on wiper blades. Ice, grit and frost scraping wear the rubber edge.
Replace the blades if they smear, squeak or leave streaks. Then top up the screen wash. Spring brings showers, road spray, pollen and insects, so you will use it more than you think.
Look at the windscreen for chips at the same time. SEAT advises getting chips repaired before warmer weather turns them into cracks.
Need a mobile mechanic in East Kent?
Based in Aylesham, we come to your home or work across Canterbury, Dover, Deal and nearby villages.
WhatsApp for a free quote Call 07563 350335
Labour £30 to £50 per hour depending on the job. Send your reg number and we will reply with a price before any work starts.
Check your tyres
Cold weather can lower tyre pressures quickly, so check them once things warm up. Your car’s correct pressures are in the handbook, inside the fuel filler flap or on a sticker by the driver’s door.
The legal minimum tread depth for a car is 1.6mm. TyreSafe explains this applies across the central three quarters of the tyre, all the way round. Many drivers prefer to change tyres well before they reach the limit.
Look closely at the sidewalls too. TyreSafe says that if you find any cuts, lumps or bulges, you should get a professional to check the tyre immediately. A bulge can mean internal damage, often from hitting a pothole, and the tyre can fail.
Look for pothole damage
Potholes often appear over the winter months. A hard hit can damage more than the tyre.
Warning signs include:
- The car pulling to one side.
- The steering wheel no longer sitting straight.
- New vibration through the steering wheel or seat.
- Knocking or clunking over bumps.
If you notice any of these, especially vibration or a change in the steering, get the car checked before you drive far. Our guide to pothole damage on Kent roads explains the signs in more depth.
You can report a pothole on a Kent County Council road through the council’s online form. If a pothole is likely to cause an accident, the council asks you to phone instead, on 03000 41 81 81 during office hours or 03000 41 91 91 at other times.
Check the air filter, oil and lights
Winter driving often means lots of short, cold trips. Spring is a good time to catch up on the basics.
- Engine air filter. Pull it out and look. If it is dark and clogged, it may need replacing. See our post on engine air filter replacement for what to look for.
- Engine oil. Check the level on the dipstick with the car parked on level ground. Top up with the oil your handbook specifies if it is low.
- Lights. Walk round the car with the headlights, indicators and brake lights on. Ask someone to press the brake pedal while you look.
- Battery. Slow starting, dim lights or a battery warning light are signs it needs checking.
Is a service due?
Spring is a natural time to check your service book. Intervals vary a lot between cars, so go by your handbook or service schedule, not a general rule.
Many cars have a time limit as well as a mileage limit. If you have done low miles over winter, the time limit may still mean a service is due. Our car service checklist shows what an interim and a full service usually cover.
If any warning light came on during the winter and you ignored it, now is the time to get it read.
How we can help
We offer our mobile mechanic service across Kent, so we come to your home or workplace. That includes Aylesham, Canterbury, Dover, Deal, Walmer, Sandwich, Folkestone and the villages around them.
We carry out interim and full servicing, oil and filter changes, air filters, cabin filters, brake pads and discs, and warning light fault finding. For pothole symptoms, such as pulling or vibration, we can come out and diagnose the cause, then tell you what it needs.
Labour is £30-£50 per hour depending on the job and its difficulty. We agree the price on WhatsApp before any work starts. Parts are extra.
Frequently asked questions
When should I do spring car checks?
Once the gritting has stopped and the weather is milder. In Kent that is usually some time in early spring, but there is no fixed date.
Do I need to wash under the car?
Yes. Salt collects underneath, where you cannot see it. Rinsing the underside and wheel arches helps limit rust.
How do I know if a pothole has damaged my car?
Look for pulling, a crooked steering wheel, vibration or bulges in the tyre sidewall. If you notice any of these, get it checked before driving far.
Need help? Send a WhatsApp to 07563 350335 with your car’s make and model and we’ll come to you.
Need a mobile mechanic in East Kent?
Message us on WhatsApp with your reg and postcode for a price before any work starts.
WhatsApp for a free quote Call 07563 350335
Labour £30 to £50 per hour depending on the job. Send your reg number and we will reply with a price before any work starts.
