Maryland gives your vehicle four distinct workloads a year. A short check at each change of season prevents most of the breakdowns we see towed in.
Winter: battery, tires, and salt
Cold weather exposes weak batteries — have yours tested before the first hard freeze. Check tread depth and pressure, since cold air lowers pressure. After snowstorms, rinse the underbody to slow salt corrosion on brake lines and exhaust.
Spring: alignment, suspension, wipers
Winter potholes are hard on steering and suspension. If the car pulls, wanders, or tires wear unevenly, get alignment and suspension checked. Replace wiper blades that chatter and top off washer fluid for pollen season.
Summer: cooling and A/C
Heat plus stop-and-go traffic is the hardest test for the cooling system. Have coolant condition, hoses, the radiator, and the cooling fan checked, and confirm the A/C cools properly before the first heat wave.
Fall: brakes, lights, and tires
Days get shorter and roads get wet, so brakes, tires, and lighting matter more. Ask for a brake inspection, check that every bulb works, and replace tires with shallow tread before wet-weather stopping distances catch you out.