SUMMER VEHICLE CHECKLIST
Help to maintain your vehicle and make your next road trip as trouble free as possible.
- Replace windshield wiper blades when cracked, torn, streaking, or chattering
- Check tires for tread wear and proper inflation
- Wash and wax to preserve appearance
- Repair paint chips
- Change oil and filter
- See your dealer for regularly scheduled maintenance
- Check all fluids – oil, brake fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, windshield washer solvent, coolant
- Check belts and hoses
- Check the brake system – pads and rotors (linings and drums)
- Check shocks/struts for damage – leaks, rust, dents
- Inspect vehicle for leaks and repair as needed
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FULE-SAVING TIPS
Summer is often travel time. Enhance fuel economy by following these tips.
- Accelerate gradually and drive smoothly
- Avoid jackrabbit starts
- Plan ahead to avoid overusing the brakes
- Use cruise control to hold even speeds
- Avoid idling – shut off the car when stopped
- Avoid or reduce air conditioning
- Drive with your windows up
- Plan trips to combine them when possible
- Maintain your vehicle
- Remove unnecessary items to reduce weight
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WARM WEATHER REMINDER: CHECK THE AIR PRESSURE IN YOUR TIRES
As air temperatures warm, so does the temperature of the air in your vehicle’s tires, expanding the space that it fills. Air pressure rises, overinflating the tires.
Referring to the recommended air pressure in the Owner’s Manual or on the label mounted on the driver’s door pillar, check tire air pressure. Overinflated tires can reduce fuel economy and lead to premature wear of your tires. They also can cause a harder, less comfortable ride.
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT:
Hitch-Mounted Bike Carrier1
The Hitch-Mounted Bike Carrier, designed to transport either one or two bicycles, is the latest in the new line of Subaru Yakima Equipped accessories.
The carrier slides easily into the vehicle’s trailer hitch receiver, where it is held securely in place by a bolt and lock slip that help minimize movement.
Cradle supports for the bike frames rotate and lock into position against the bicycles’ upper frames and downtubes to minimize motion fore and aft. When not in use, the support arms fold down easily.
See your Subaru dealer for this and other Subaru accessories.
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TIPS FOR CLEANING WINDOW GLASS
- Use ammonia-free products intended for automotive glass (such as Genuine Subaru Glass Cleaner) – not household window glass cleaner. The two types of products have two different applications. Household glass cleaners can streak vehicle glass. Plus, if your vehicle windows have aftermarket tint, the ammonia in many household products can dissolve the tint adhesive.
- Avoid direct sunlight.
- Wipe off cleaner with a lint- and scratch-free microfiber or soft towel. Use long strokes to reduce the streaking.
- Roll down windows to clean along the edges first. Then clean the main part of the glass – inside and outside.
- Clean thoroughly, including along moldings, in corners, and around mirrors and other fixtures.
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14 THINGS THAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN YOUR VEHICLE
- First aid kit
- Inexpensive camera
- Flashlight
- Blanket
- Jumper cables
- Emergency signal devices, such as warning triangles, light sticks, and/or flares
- Cell phone
- Basic tools
- Food
- Water
- Clothing
- Lighter/matches
- Tow rope
- Spare tire (filled to recommended air pressure)
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For more safety and technical tips, click here.