Preparing Your Car for the Rainy Season

Check Your Tires

If your tires are starting to look worn or you’re noticing issues with handling, take time out of your day to do the penny test. Put a penny top-down in one of your tire’s treads – if you can see all of Lincoln’s head, you need new tires. Once your tires become too worn, they won’t be able to properly grip the road and you’ll notice a little more slipping around corners, even on dry roads. Once the rainy season picks up, you’ll need good traction more than ever.

Get New Wiper Blades

As far as general car care goes, keeping up with wiper blades is pretty simple and straightforward. Wiper blades will need to be replaced once or twice a year, depending on their use. As they wear out, you’ll notice more streaks on your windshield and proper visibility will be harder to maintain. This can be done at home but an auto shop can also easily complete this service for you.

Make Sure Your Brakes Aren’t Over-Worn

Along with proper traction, you want to make sure you’ll be able to stop in time. Wet brakes are typically less efficient, so if you’re in need of new brake pads, you’ll notice even more trouble coming to a complete stop in time during a rainstorm. Check your brake pads at home and if they look too worn, or have ¼-inch or less remaining, then you should make an appointment to have new brake pads installed as soon as possible.

Replace Your Headlights & Brake Lights if Necessary

Visibility is key during heavy rain. It can be tough to see other cars even with their headlights and brake lights, so if yours need to be replaced, you’ll be hard to spot by other drivers. Grab a friend to help you out with checking your brake lights. If you do need to replace any bulbs, they’re generally easy to do at home but a mechanic could also quickly take care of it for you.

Keep an Emergency Kit in Your Car

If you end up getting truly stranded, it’s good to have a few personal necessities on hand. Not to mention you may have to pull to the side of the road during especially heavy rain. Your emergency kit can include non-perishable snacks, water, a blanket, a flashlight and batteries, and anything else that will help keep you comfortable for a while. Being over-prepared is always better than being caught off guard when you find yourself stuck.

Have Jumper Cables on Hand

Running into battery trouble is never fun but it’s especially frustrating during the rainy season. Rainy conditions can wear out batteries and if yours is already on the way out, you could notice a bit less power in your car’s performance. Whether the issue is moisture or the driving conditions during a rainstorm, it’s a good idea to be prepared with jumper cables. If your car won’t start because of a dead battery, you simply need to find someone willing to give you a quick jump and get you back on the road again.