Audi Winter Maintenance Tips To Keep Your Car Merry And Bright

Audi understands that it takes more than exceptional engineering and meticulous design to keep a car running at peak performance. Just as an expert athlete maintains his or her body strength, condition, and aptitude, a high performance vehicle deserves ongoing maintenance and care.

With winter weather upon us here in southern California, it is a great time to complete a few routine seasonal services to ensure your car performs at its best to keep the season merry and bright. Here are a few essential service and maintenance tips to keep in mind:

Fluids
Whether you drive an Audi A4, Audi R8, or Audi TT, Audi engines are engineered and crafted for top performance. To keep them in top condition it is important to ensure your fluid levels are all appropriately maintained. With the onset of freezing weather and winter storms even in Orange County, taking a few moments to top off your anti-freeze and windshield wiper fluid can make the difference between being stranded on the side of the road or driving comfortably back to the warmth of your family's home. This is also a great time to change your oil if you haven't done so already in the last month.

Tires
Audi's new 2012 models like the Audi Q7, Audi A6, and Audi A8 all feature optimized handling and control on various road conditions. However, if you have put some miles on your car already or are driving an older year Audi model, it is imperative to check your tires for wear. Look at the tread and make sure you have at least 1/8" left. If you live in snow country, you may also want to consider switching out your tires for snow tires. Also, be sure to check to tire pressure, as dropping temperatures can cause the pressure to change unexpectedly.

Brakes
California highways are notorious for bumper to bumper traffic during the holidays, and when stopping is hard enough to manage on snow and ice, the last thing you want is trouble with your brakes. Thanks to the many safety and technology features incorporated into Audi model designs like the ABS system, Electronic-brake distribution, and brake assist, you can drive around Orange County with more confidence. However, to ensure you keep your car in prime condition it is still important to check your brakes for wear and inspect your brake fluid.

Parts and Accessories
Lastly, even if you live in a moderate climate like Orange County, California, it is still a good idea to check various car parts including your battery and wipers. You may not get buried in snow on the Santa Ana roadways, but your battery still takes a toll during the cooler winter weather. Check the battery posts to be sure they are clean and free of corrosion, dirt, or other contaminants. Windshield wipers should also be inspected for wear so you can be confident they will work during an unexpected winter deluge or snowfall.

Most of these simple steps can be performed within half an hour in your own garage. However, if you want to be sure everything is in tip-top shape in time for the holidays, you can always take your Audi into the local California Audi dealership for a seasonal check-up.