The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence joins the auto service and repair industry in urging motorists to Be Car Care Aware. Routine service and maintenance will help you get the most out of your vehicle and protect your automotive investment.

With summer rapidly approaching, the experts at ASE offer the following tips on getting your vehicle ready for the heat, humidity, and stop-and-go traffic ahead.

• Read the owner’s manual and follow the recommended service schedules. The manual contains a complete checklist of services and schedules and other important information about your vehicle.
• Flush and refill the cooling system (radiator) according to the service manual’s recommendations. The level, condition, and concentration of the coolant should be checked periodically. If you are doing your own work, make sure the engine has cooled down before removing the radiator cap.
• Have engine performance problems--hard starts, rough idling, stalling--corrected. You’ll get better gasoline mileage and you might just prevent more expensive repairs later on. For example, something as simple as a rough idle could indicate an underlying problem that could ruin your vehicle’s catalytic converter over time.
• If you are not a do-it-yourselfer, look for repair facilities with vehicles in the parking lot equal in value to your own, modern equipment in the service bays, and signs of qualified automotive technicians as evidenced by trade school diplomas, certificates of advanced course work and training classes, as well as national certification of the individual technicians by ASE.
A qualified auto technician should check • the tightness and condition of belts, clamps, and hoses. Most do-it-yourselfers do not have the proper equipment. But weekenders can look for signs of wear, cracking, or frayed belts. And, once again, don’t ignore the service schedules listed in the owner’s manual.
• Have a marginally operating air conditioner system serviced by a qualified technician. The air conditioners on older vehicles often contain ozone-depleting chemicals that could be released into the air through improper or incompetent service.
• Change the oil and oil filter as specified in owner’s manual. (Properly dispose of used oil.) Poll after poll of technicians indicate that this is one of the most neglected services, and one that can greatly reduce the life of your automobile, light truck, or SUV.
• Replace other filters (air, fuel, PCV, etc.) as recommended in the service manual.
• Check the condition of tires, including the spare. Let the tires “cool down” before checking their pressure. Uneven wear, ‘cupping,’ vibrations, or ‘pulling’ to one side indicates problems with your tires or suspension system.
• Don’t neglect your transmission. Costly repairs can be prevented by routine service.
• Inspect all lights and bulbs; replace burned out bulbs. Replace worn wiper blades and keep plenty of washer solvent on hand to fight summer’s dust and insects.

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) was founded in 1972 as a non-profit, independent organization dedicated to improving the quality of automotive service and repair through the voluntary testing and certification of automotive technicians.

ASE-certified technicians wear blue and white ASE shoulder insignia and carry credentials listing their exact area(s) of certification. Their employers often display the blue and white ASE sign. Further, repair facilities with a high percentage of certified technicians are eligible to earn ASE’s elite Blue Seal of Excellence Recognition status.

Visit www.ase.com for more car care tips and more information about ASE-certified automotive technicians.