Auto maintenance tips for safer handling

DENVER, Oct. 9 — When snow and ice blanket Colorado roads, will your car handle as reliably and safely as it should? During AAA's designated October Car Care Month, you can get a leg up on your vehicle maintenance for better road handling.

Tires, alignment and proper maintenance for AWD (all-wheel drive) and 4WD vehicles are key to the best road-handling. Much as the battery is a car's heart, the tires, suspension and alignment are the "legs" that keep a vehicle on the road and performing safely. AAA provides the following maintenance tips to improve safe handling:

• Check the tires- Tires should always be inflated to the factory specified air pressure and have enough tread to handle all road conditions. To check the tire tread, look for "wear bars" that periodically run across the hollow of each tread. If the tread has been worn down to the same height as the wear bar, it's time for new tires. Driving in snow calls for all-season or snow tires. Tires should also be balanced on a regular basis.
• Suspension- The suspension system is a series of levers, pivots, and cushions that connect the vehicle's wheels to the car's frame. The suspension, in conjunction with the steering system enable a driver to steer. Any unusual wear in shocks, struts, bushes, wheel bearings, ball-joints or steering components can contribute to unsafe handling especially on snow or ice.
• Check the alignment- An alignment means aligning the rear wheels with the centerline of the car, then aligning the front wheels to the rear wheels. Last year's unprecedented snow falls, and subsequent perma-frosted roads and potholes have thrown many vehicles out of alignment. If, when on a straight and level road, your car "pulls" to one side or the other, there may have alignment problems. A car that's out of alignment handles poorly on ice and snow. In dry conditions, bad alignment contributes to accelerated tire wear. If the car's alignment hasn't been checked since last winter, you may want to do so now.
• Engage the 4WD- Vehicles with 4WD should have it engaged before the snows, to ensure that it doesn't require servicing. When testing 4WD, do so on a dirt or gravel road.
• AWD maintenance- Similar to 4WD systems, with one big exception: all-wheel drive vehicles can be operated on all road surfaces, not just on gravel, dirt or snow. The added complexity of the components that allow this style of driving also require regular service, particularly in checking the fluid levels of the various differentials associated with this style of drive-train.

For more information on automotive issues and to find a AAA-approved auto repair facility in your area, go to www.aaa.com/carmaintenance.

AAA Colorado has more than 500,000 members in Colorado and is an advocate for safety and security for all travelers. As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 50 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services, as well as member-exclusive savings. AAA can be visited on the Internet at www.aaa.com.

Note to Media: This is the third of four informative pieces to highlight October as Car Care Month — AAA's reminder to all motorists to check their vehicles before the onset of winter driving conditions. Each Tuesday in October you will receive another in the series. Next week, AAA will provide maintenance for safer winter handling.

If you would prefer to receive these items on a different day, please contact Debbi Lardinois, Communications Specialist, 303-753-8800, ext, 8103; dlardinois@colorado.aaa.com. October Car Care Month press releases can be found at aaa.com under “News and Safety.”

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