As your local Mercedes repair Michigan provider we can’t encourage you enough to start early when it comes to checking your vehicle prior to your holiday travels. The last thing you want to do is get your car all packed and ready to go and realize that there is an underlying issue you should have taken care of. You also want to make sure that any issues you do have, get resolved are resolved properly. Therefore, starting early allows everyone enough time to not only diagnose any potential problems but also to fix them correctly. You will thank yourself later for allowing this buffer window. See below for some of the top items you will want to make sure you have double-checked by your Mercedes repair Michigan provider before you hit the road this holiday season.

• Check all lights: Make sure you check all the lights on your vehicle. You want to check your high and low beams, flashers, directional signals, and brake lights.
• Wipers: Your wiper blades should be checked every 6 months or so. Check for any cracks, tears, or streaks that appear while in use.
• Washer fluid: Slush and salt-covered roads can require a lot of fluid in order to keep the windshield clear. Depending on the temperature you may also want to consider a wiper fluid with antifreeze in it.
• Engine: Cold winter temperatures are tough on mechanical components. Check your radiator and heater hoses for any cracks and leaks.
• Check the battery: When the temperature reaches zero degrees the battery is only capable of working at half the amount of power that it does when the temperature is 80 degrees.
• Winter tires: It can be very helpful to purchase all season tires or winter specific tires. The tread patterns on these tires combined with a rubber component are designed to grip snow and ice.