As of: March 7, 2024, 2:10 p.m
By: Sebastian Oppenheimer
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There are still a few days until spring officially begins - but car owners can already focus on a few points.
Winter is slowly going on a farewell tour, but spring is still far away.
Before the days finally get brighter and warmer again, drivers should do a few small jobs.
Five tasks for the coming weeks.
Five things drivers should do at the end of winter – 1. Wash off the salt
Even if there are still few rays of sunlight that could be reflected in the shiny paint, after the end of the road salt period the car should be taken to the car wash briefly, but it shouldn't be too cold.
The simple washing program or steam jetting with a high-pressure cleaner is usually sufficient for cleaning.
Even better, however, is a full wash with underbody cleaning to get the bodywork salt-free there too.
Afterwards, it might be worth taking a trip to the vacuum cleaner station.
The machines at car washes are usually powerful and can clean even heavily soiled floor mats and carpets.
If not, a TikTok user's life hack might help.
Five things drivers should do at the end of winter – 2. Change pollen filters
Depending on the allergy trigger, many drivers also suffer from hay fever early in the year.
You should now check the vehicle's cabin filter.
Among other things, this filters pollen, dust and dirt from the air before they get into the passenger compartment.
It's best to change the cabin filter annually, at least every 15,000 to 30,000 kilometers - some experts even recommend replacing the pollen filter every six months.
If the filter no longer cleans, it can become a breeding ground for mold and bacteria - a problem that also affects occupants who do not suffer from hay fever.
Five things that drivers should do at the end of winter - 3. Make an appointment to change your tires
In most regions of Germany it is probably still a little too early to change tires.
However, you can definitely arrange a workshop appointment, as there are usually bottlenecks during the wedding.
Like every year, it starts around Easter - based on the rule of thumb for periodic tire changes: summer tires should be used from Easter to October.
If there is no frost in sight and the temperatures are consistently above zero, it is advisable to change to summer tires earlier.
On the contrary, if you still have to expect sub-zero temperatures, it's better to wait a little.
The ADAC recently tested 50 summer tires – and warned of seven “defective” products.
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At the end of winter the salt should be washed off the car.
(Symbolic image) © Addictive Stock/Imago
Five things drivers should do at the end of winter – 4. Clear out
Snow chains, grit buckets, window de-icer – after the start of spring, winter equipment in the car only took up space and fuel.
And other small items that have accumulated over the dark months should now be removed from shelves and compartments.
Optimistic people can even exchange summer essentials: from sunglasses to a heat shield for the windshield.
You can find even more exciting car topics in the free newsletter from our partner 24auto.de.
Five things that drivers should do at the end of winter - 5. Check technology
Finally, you take a look at the technology and check the level of engine oil, coolant and windshield washer fluid.
The wiper blades also deserve attention;
They are often worn out after autumn and winter, especially if they had to work with icy windows.
It is also worth checking the ventilation, which can become dirty and blocked after the winter months.
And while you're at it, you should also check the tire pressure.
(Holger Holzer/SP-X)