What to check on your car as daylight savings ends and colder months approach

Daylight savings has now ended in the southern states of Australia, heralding the beginning of colder months and potentially riskier driving conditions.

Motorists without the luxury and convenience of a modern, screen-heavy car that adjusts these things for you will have to head to their garage, driveway or car park to rewind their clocks back an hour, but there are a handful of other crucial items worth checking on their cars at this time of year.

The end of daylight savings time means you’ll likely be commuting in the dark – and wety conditions – more often Here’s a short list of things you should check while you’re already out adjusting your car’s clock.

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Tyres

Your tyres are the only thing connecting your car to the road, and their tread is crucially important to clearing water on the road when it rains.

They may have worn during normal driving during the warmer months, or as a result of incorrect wheel alignment, which requires a trip to a mechanic to remedy.

It’s therefore important to make sure your tyres have at least 3mm of tread depth for optimal performance in the wet.

You should also check your tyres are inflated to your car’s placarded pressures – information which is typically found on the driver’s side door jamb. Incorrect tyre pressures can contribute to increased tyre wear and poor handling.

Those travelling to properly cold areas, such as Australia’s alpine regions, should also ensure they’re familiar with how snow chains work and keep a set handy in their car.

Light bulbs

The sun will be setting earlier now, which means you’ll need to be travelling with your lights on more often.

You should do a once-over of your car and ensure all headlights, tail-lights and indicators are working. It can be difficult to check that your rear lights operate as they should on your own, so it’s not a bad idea to ask a friend to step on the brake pedal or operate the indicators while you watch from a distance.

Blown brake light bulbs in particular are surprisingly common, and all bulbs are easy enough to replace yourself provided you buy the right replacement. You can also ask the staff at auto parts stores to install them for you.

And remember to turn your lights on as the sun starts to set, especially if driving a car without automatic dusk-sensing headlights.

Even if you can see, it’s important that other drivers can easily see you, too.

Windscreens and wipers

Colder temperatures outside and a cozy cabin inside make for foggy windscreens, and forward vision is important.

Properly cleaning the inside and outside of your windscreen can limit the effect of fog while also ensuring your air-conditioning demister works as intended.

Wiper blades can also wear over time, which means your wipers can’t clear water as effectively as they should. These are simple to replace, and auto parts stores can help you pick the right wiper inserts and even fit them for you if required.

Both front and rear wiper blades should be checked because spray from wet, dirty roads can also cloud the rear windows of hatchbacks and SUVs. Wiper washer fluid levels should also be checked to ensure that windows can be cleaned quickly and effectively if required.

Cold nights can cause windscreens to ice over too, and the best solution is either to be patient or gently scrape the ice off with something sturdy like a window squeegee – or a dedicated ice scraper, if you have one.

General maintenance

Now is not a bad time to check general maintenance items on your car, too.

You should take the opportunity to check your engine oil levels and air filter, and you should also check your car battery’s health to make sure you don’t end up stranded in the cold. Buy a cheap volt meter or battery charger, or better still a battery conditioner, to keep it in tip-top shape and make it last longer.

You can also inspect your brake discs and pads for their condition. Overly worn brake rotors will have a noticeable lip on the outside edge that you can feel with your fingernail, while a quick visual inspection of your brake pads is enough to check whether they have enough meat left in them.

As ever, it’s not a bad idea to clean your car regularly, inside and out, to maintain the condition of your paint and interior materials, particularly after driving on wet, gravel or muddy roads.