A Year-Round Car Maintenance Calendar: Exhaust, Air Con and Brakes
The seasonal checks that catch most car problems early and keep running costs down
Most car problems do not appear out of nowhere. They build slowly, often with warning signs that are easy to ignore until something fails at the worst possible moment. Working through a simple seasonal routine catches most of them early, keeps running costs down and means far fewer surprises on the way to work or the school run.
Spring: check what winter has done
Cold, wet months and salted roads are hard on the underside of a car. Spring is a good time to listen for new rattles or a louder engine note, which often point to a corroded exhaust bracket or a split in the pipe. Exhaust leaks are not just noisy: fumes can find their way into the cabin, and a blowing exhaust is an MOT failure.
Look underneath for anything hanging lower than usual, and check for a smell of fumes inside the car. Booking exhaust repairs as soon as you notice a change is usually cheaper than waiting for a section to fail completely.
Summer: air conditioning
Car air conditioning slowly loses refrigerant over time, even when nothing is wrong with it, so cooling gradually gets weaker. Most systems benefit from a recharge every two years or so. Older cars use a gas called R134a, while most cars built since around 2017 use R1234yf, which costs more to replace.
A musty smell when the air con is switched on usually means the cabin filter needs changing or the system needs cleaning. If the air is no longer properly cold, a car air con regas in Reading can often be done at home or at work in around an hour.
Autumn: brakes before the dark evenings
Shorter days, wet leaves and heavier traffic make autumn a sensible time to check the brakes. Warning signs include squealing or grinding, a vibration through the pedal, the car pulling to one side, a pedal that feels soft or travels further than usual, and the brake warning light.
Pads on the same axle should always be replaced together, and discs wear too, so a proper check looks at both. Brake fluid also absorbs moisture over time, which is why most manufacturers recommend changing it every couple of years. Mobile brake repairs mean the work can be done on your driveway rather than losing a day to a garage visit.
Winter: the basics that prevent breakdowns
- Battery: cold weather exposes a weak battery, especially on short journeys
- Lights: check every bulb, as you will be driving in the dark far more often
- Screenwash and wipers: use a winter-strength screenwash and replace smearing blades
- Air con: running it for a few minutes a week keeps the seals healthy and helps demist the windscreen
A simple year-round checklist
- Spring: exhaust, underside and any new noises.
- Summer: air con performance and cabin filter.
- Autumn: brakes, lights and wipers.
- Winter: battery, lights and screenwash.
- Every year: a full service and the MOT.
A little attention each season keeps a car safer and cheaper to run. For more on car repairs and servicing, see our vehicle repairs category.
