Red Light, Green Light, Brake Lights

Seems like traffic gets worse every year in Colorado, doesn’t it? Going from rush hour to highway to mountain driving can impact a lot of different parts of your car. Most people worry about getting their car ready for a trip to the mountains and with good reason – but what can you do to prepare your car for rush hour driving five days a week?

Related: Brake System Repair Services
Related: How You Can Tell if Your Brakes Are Wearing Out
Related: Why is an Oil Change Important?

Check Your Brakes

You use your brakes a lot more with city driving than highway driving – and even more so in heavy traffic. This means your brake pads and rotors are going to wear out faster and the impact of waiting too long to have a brake repair done is greater.

Driving defensively and keeping a safe distance between you and the car in front of you is helpful but if your brakes are wearing out, even that can make driving safely in traffic more difficult. Most cars make it easy to check the thickness of your brake pads yourself and it’s a good idea to make a habit of doing so regularly. There are also some signs you’ll notice if your brakes are wearing out, including squeaking, grinding, having to fully depress the brake pedal, or a spongy brake pedal. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s time to take your car to a mechanic for brake repairs. Schedule an appointment for Brake System Repair Services today!

peLook at Your Tires

No one wants a flat tire – especially in traffic. It can be hard to navigate over to the side of the road and you end up being “that car” blocking already bad traffic. Many modern cars will have sensors for tire pressure so you will be alerted by your car if one of your tires is low, but you should also keep an eye on your tire treads. You can expect to buy a new set of tires every couple of years, but that will vary depending on how much you drive and the driving conditions. If your tire treads are over-worn, you risk blowing a tire in the middle of traffic – or the middle of nowhere – so it’s important to keep up with tire maintenance.

Don’t Skip Transmission Maintenance

City driving and rush hour traffic can cause extra wear on your car’s transmission. Not only is stop and go driving hard on your brakes, but the extra shifting among lower gears wears down parts in your transmission as well. You can help counter this wearing by staying on top of regular transmission repairs. Keep an eye on your transmission fluid level, either by checking it yourself or having a mechanic take a look, and pay attention to any changes in how your car feels when changing gears and accelerating. Schedule an appointment for Transmission Repair Services today!