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Whether you’re moving in your freshman year or preparing for your college’s student final year, car maintenance and care should be added to your back-to-school checklist. Your student will be using their car throughout their college experience, from getting to class, driving to their job, or making memories with their friends. The best way to protect them in their home away from home is by keeping their car safe and operating well. 

Just a ten-minute drive from the University of Florida’s campus is City Auto Repair. We are a dedicated team of mechanics and car experts who care about your student’s car safety just as much as you do. Our team will help you complete back-to-school car maintenance, ensuring your student has a great start to their year!

Discuss Car Maintenance for College Students

Before you make the drive to campus for move-in day, have candid conversations with them about car prep for Gainesville, FL. You’ll want to make sure they understand: 

1. The car insurance and where they can find their card
2. Registration, including when it expires, how to renew, and where to find their registration information.
3. Basic car maintenance they’ll need to perform throughout the semester (oil changes, tire rotations, regular inspections, etc.) 

You’ll also want to provide them with information for a trusted mechanic near the University of Florida, such as City Auto Repair in Gainesville.

Back-to-School Car Maintenance Checklist

If you’re looking for a student car safety checklist that you can go through before they arrive on campus, here are the key parts of a car you should check to optimize your student’s car safety and performance.

Battery

The last thing you want is for your student to be stranded with a dead car battery. If your radio or dash lights are not operating well, or if you have had your car battery for 3–5 years, it’s time to replace it. Florida also causes batteries to die quicker due to heat, so you’ll want to check it with a mechanic before school starts.

Brakes

Ideally, a brake inspection is part of your regular oil change routine. Worn-down brakes can cause car accidents by impeding your ability to stop or stop quickly enough to avoid a collision. And, you can’t always go by the date you last had them replaced. Brakes wear down at different rates depending on how your child drives the car—how much they slam on the brakes or ride them—so check them regularly rather than rely on the replacement date.  

Engine Belts & Hoses

If your engine hoses or belts have visible cracks or are more than 4 years old, it’s time to replace them. 

Fluids & Oil Change

Check the fluid levels on the transmission, battery, brakes, coolant, and oil, and make sure these fluids aren’t dirty, which can damage your car’s engine or transmission. It might be wise to get an oil change before you arrive on campus to ensure your car is in good condition to drive around.

Lights & Fuses

Headlights allow you to see what is ahead of you, and brake lights allow cars behind you to see that you’re slowing down or stopped. When these don’t work, you are at a higher risk of an accident. Plus, working brake lights are required by law in Florida.

Put your car in park, then check that all brake lights, headlights, running lights, and turn signals are working correctly. Replace any bulbs or fuses that aren’t working, and verify that the replacement fixed the issue.

Seatbelts

If your student is driving an older model car, check into having the seatbelts replaced with newer and likely safer versions. Ensure that your student wears theirs correctly across their shoulder and hips. They should also understand the importance of seatbelt safety, not just with respect to the law but also as the possible difference between life and death in an automobile accident. 

Tires

Make sure the car’s tires are in good condition by doing the following:

1. Get the tires rotated.
2. Check the tire pressure using a tire gauge. 
3. Make sure tires are properly inflated and aligned. 
4. Check for sufficient tire tread. 

To check the tread, insert an upside-down penny in a row of tread, and try multiple rows. If you can always see the top of Abraham Lincoln’s head no matter which tread row you try, you need new tires. If the tread covers part of Lincoln’s head in all the rows, you typically have more than 2/32 inches of tread depth left. 

Tires with insufficient air can negatively affect gas mileage, while tires with inadequate tread can cause the tires to wear at a faster rate and can even lead to dangerous blowouts. It’s also important to let your student know that in the fall and winter, Gainesville’s extreme temperature changes can lead to low air pressure in their tires. 

Windshield Wipers

Check windshield wiper fluid levels and all wiper blades to ensure they don’t need replacement, typically done every 6 to 12 months. While wipers are an inexpensive and easy fix, they significantly impact visibility and safety while driving in nasty weather conditions.

Prepare for Emergencies

After making sure the car is in good condition, it’s time to teach your student how to call for help, file an accident report, put on their spare tire, or change the oil themselves if needed. 

Then, help them stock the car with an emergency kit containing jumper cables, a flashlight, a spare tire, a car jack, a tool kit, reflector triangles, a phone charger, a blanket, and anything else you think they may need. At City Auto Repair, we occasionally run Car Care Clinics that teach these skills, so your student is ready for any emergency.

 

City Auto Repair Cares for Your Student’s Car while School’s in Session

Sending your student off for school is stressful enough without also worrying about avoidable car problems. By staying on top of routine maintenance and regular inspections before they leave home, you can be reassured that the car is in good shape and as safe as it can be. Book your appointment today if you’re ready to have our expert City Auto Repair mechanics help your student’s car pass the test!