Autumn is officially here, and with it comes a noticeable change in driving conditions. Shorter days, wetter roads, falling leaves, colder temperatures, and reduced visibility can all create fresh challenges for you and your vehicle.
These conditions can affect how your car performs and how safely you can drive, making it important to ensure your vehicle is ready for the autumn season. Knowing what to look out for can help you identify potential problems early and keep your car in good condition as autumn progresses.
This guide provides an autumn car care checklist, covering 10 essential checks to help you prepare your car for the season, from the everyday essentials to the details that are easy to overlook.
Key Takeaways
- Checking your tyres, lights, visibility, windscreen wipers, brakes, bodywork, and paint can help you spot potential issues and keep your car prepared for changing autumn driving conditions.
- Clearing leaves and debris, checking your battery, heating, air conditioning, and fluid levels, and keeping a few useful essentials in your vehicle like a torch and blankets can help you prepare for colder, wetter weather.
- Miles Better Vehicle Solutions provides professional vehicle repairs, servicing, and maintenance from our body shop in Woking, helping you address issues identified during your autumn checks.
10 Things to Check Before Driving This Autumn
A little preparation can make a big difference when the weather starts to change. Therefore, it is worth taking a closer look at your vehicle and making sure everything is in good working order. Below, we outline 10 key areas to consider to keep your car ready for the weeks ahead.
| Car Check | What To Look For |
|---|---|
| 1. Tyres | Pressure, tread depth, uneven wear, and visible damage |
| 2. Lights and Visibility | Headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, number plate lights, and screenwash |
| 3. Windscreen Wipers | Streaking, smearing, juddering, and damaged or worn rubber |
| 4. Brakes | Unusual noises, vibrations, pulling, changes in pedal feel, and increased stopping distance |
| 5. Bodywork and Paint | Scratches, chips, dents, scuffs, peeling, and other paint damage |
| 6. Leaves and Debris | Build-up around the windscreen, scuttle panel, bonnet gaps, wheel arches, door shuts, boot area, and drainage points |
| 7. Battery | Slow engine cranking, dimming lights, flickering displays, and other electrical issues |
| 8. Heating and Air Conditioning | Warm air, effective ventilation, and the ability to clear condensation |
| 9. Fluid Levels | Engine oil, coolant, screenwash, and brake fluid where appropriate |
| 10. Autumn and Winter Driving | Emergency essentials, frost protection, and adapting your driving to conditions |
1. Check Your Tyres
Your tyres are your car’s only contact with the road, so their condition is particularly important as wetter roads become more common. Give each tyre a quick inspection and check the following:
- Tyre pressure: Check the recommended pressure in your vehicle handbook, on the driver’s door frame, or inside the fuel filler flap, depending on the vehicle. Check pressures when the tyres are cold, and remember that the recommended pressure may differ between the front and rear tyres or depending on how heavily the car is loaded.
- Tread depth: The legal minimum for cars in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre and around its entire circumference. Check the tyre tread depth at several points around each tyre, rather than just looking at one section.
- Uneven wear: Look across the full width of the tread for areas that appear more worn than others. Uneven wear can be a sign of incorrect tyre pressure, alignment issues, or other problems.
- Visible damage: Look for cuts, cracks, bulges, or objects embedded in the tyre. If you notice anything concerning, have it assessed by a qualified professional.
Additionally, don’t forget to check your spare wheel, if you have one, or make sure your tyre repair kit is present and ready to use.
Did You Know? If your tyres are worn or damaged upon inspection, Miles Better Vehicle Solutions are experts in tyre fitting in Woking, helping you find the right tyres for your vehicle and get safely back on the road.
Also read: Top Signs Your Car Tyres Need Replacing
2. Check Your Lights and Visibility
Shorter days, rain, and low-light conditions can all affect visibility, making it important to ensure your vehicle’s lights are working correctly.
Take a few minutes to check:
- Headlights: Check that both dipped and main beams are working correctly. Clean the lenses if they are covered in dirt, mud, or road spray, as this can reduce the amount of light they produce.
- Brake lights and indicators: Check that all of these illuminate correctly. If possible, ask someone to stand outside the vehicle while you test them.
- Fog lights: Check that your front and rear fog lights are working, and make sure you know how to operate them when visibility is seriously reduced.
- Number plate lights: Make sure the lights illuminate the plate clearly. Mud, grit, and road spray can also build up on the plate itself, making it harder to read, so give it a clean when necessary.
- Screenwash: Make sure the reservoir is topped up so you can clear dirt and spray from the windscreen when needed.
If a bulb is not working, a lens is damaged, or your wipers are no longer clearing the glass properly, have the issue addressed before it affects your visibility on the road.
3. Inspect Your Windscreen Wipers
Your windscreen wipers understandably work harder during wetter months, so it is worth checking that they are still in good condition and clearing the glass effectively. Look out for streaking or smearing, skipping or juddering as the blades move, and any cracks, splits, or perishing in the rubber.
If the blades are leaving areas of the windscreen uncleared or are no longer making proper contact with the glass, they may need replacing. Dealing with worn wipers early can help maintain clear visibility when rain and road spray become more frequent.
4. Check Your Brakes
Wet roads can affect braking and increase stopping distances, making it important to pay attention to how your brakes feel and perform. You do not need to assume that every unusual noise means there is a serious problem, but changes in braking behaviour should not be ignored.
Listen for persistent squealing or grinding, and pay attention to any vibration through the steering wheel or brake pedal when braking. You should also take note if the vehicle pulls to one side, the brake pedal feels unusually soft, hard, or spongy, or the car seems to require more distance than usual to stop.
If you notice any of these changes, have a qualified professional check your brakes. They can identify whether the issue is related to the brake pads, discs, or another part of the braking system, rather than assuming that components need replacing.
5. Assess Your Car’s Bodywork and Paint
Your car’s exterior has to deal with plenty of dirt, rain, and debris during autumn, so it is worth keeping an eye on the condition of the bodywork. Small scratches, chips, dents, and scuffs can be easy to overlook, but leaving existing damage unaddressed can let it worsen, especially if the paintwork or protective finish is damaged.
Give your vehicle a closer inspection and look out for:
- Scratches and paint chips: Check for areas where the paint has been marked or chipped, particularly around the bonnet, doors, and wheel arches.
- Dents and scuffs: Take note of any existing damage that could benefit from repair rather than allowing it to become more noticeable.
- Paint damage: Look for peeling, flaking, or areas where the finish appears damaged or discoloured.
If you spot damage that needs attention, our expert team at Miles Better Vehicle Solutions can help with everything from car paint repair and car scratch repair in Woking to bumper repairs and wider bodywork repairs. Addressing smaller issues can also be worthwhile before they become more difficult to deal with.
6. Clear Away Leaves and Debris
Wet leaves and other debris can quickly collect around your vehicle during autumn, particularly in areas that are easy to overlook. Take a few minutes to check around the windscreen and scuttle panel, bonnet gaps, wheel arches, door shuts, and boot area, clearing away any leaves, dirt, or other debris you find. It is also worth checking visible drainage points to make sure they are not obstructed.
Wet leaves and debris can hold moisture and, if they build up around drainage areas, may prevent water from draining away properly. Regularly clearing these areas can therefore help keep your vehicle free from unnecessary moisture and debris as the season progresses.
7. Check Your Battery
Colder temperatures can put more demand on your car’s battery, so autumn is a good time to pay attention to how well it is performing. If your car has recently started taking longer to start, this could be a sign that the battery is becoming weaker.
Look out for slow engine cranking, where the engine takes longer than usual to turn over, as well as electrical issues such as dimming lights, flickering displays, or other electrical components behaving differently from normal. These signs do not necessarily mean the battery needs replacing, but they are worth having checked.
If you have noticed any changes in how your car starts or its electrical systems are working, consider getting the battery checked before temperatures drop further. Identifying a weakening battery early can help you avoid finding out there is a problem when you need your car most.
8. Check Your Heating and Air Conditioning
Your heating and ventilation system is about more than keeping the cabin warm during autumn. Being able to direct warm air towards the windscreen helps clear condensation, while effective ventilation can help maintain visibility when the temperature drops.
Check that the heating is producing warm air and that you can direct airflow towards the windscreen when needed. If condensation is taking longer than usual to clear, or the system is not working as expected, it is worth having it checked.
Your air conditioning can also play an important role during the colder months. Although it is often associated with keeping the cabin cool in summer, it can help remove moisture from the air inside your vehicle, making it useful for clearing condensation in colder, wetter conditions.
If your air conditioning is not performing as it should, Miles Better Vehicle Solutions offers a professional car air conditioning service in Surrey, using specialist equipment to safely remove and replace refrigerant and help restore the system’s performance.
9. Check Your Fluid Levels
Your car relies on several different fluids to keep its systems operating correctly, so it is worth checking the levels as part of your autumn preparations. Depending on your vehicle, these may include:
- Engine oil: Check the level according to the instructions in your vehicle handbook and use the correct specification if it needs replenishing.
- Coolant: Check the level when the engine is cold and make sure it sits within the recommended range. Never remove the coolant cap while the engine is hot.
- Screenwash: Check the level in the reservoir and replenish it when necessary.
- Brake fluid: Where the reservoir is accessible, check the level against the markings and follow the manufacturer’s guidance.
The correct way to check and replenish fluids can vary between vehicles, so always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If you are unsure about checking any fluid yourself, seek professional assistance rather than attempting something you are not comfortable with.
10. Prepare for Autumn and Winter Driving
A few simple items can be useful to have in your vehicle as the weather gets colder and the days become shorter. Consider keeping:
- Torch: Useful if you need to inspect your vehicle or wait for assistance after dark.
- Warm clothing or a blanket: Helpful if you become stranded and need to wait in your vehicle during colder weather.
- Ice scraper and de-icer: Keep these in the car so you can clear frost and ice from the windows before setting off.
- Warning triangle: Carry one where appropriate, particularly for use if your vehicle breaks down.
- Basic first aid kit: Useful to have available for minor injuries or emergencies while travelling.
It is also important to adapt your driving to the conditions. Leave more space around your vehicle when roads are wet or slippery, reduce your speed when necessary, and take extra care when visibility is reduced or fallen leaves affect the road surface.
Prepare Your Car for Autumn With Miles Better Vehicle Solutions
Miles Better Vehicle Solutions is a body shop in Woking, providing professional vehicle repairs, servicing, and maintenance. Our experienced team can help with a range of vehicle issues, whether you have identified a problem during your autumn checks or simply want to make sure your car is in good condition.
If you have noticed something that needs attention, or would like professional advice about your vehicle, get in touch with our team to find out how we can help.