Is your car ready for cold weather? You might think that there is very little that needs to be done to help your car transition smoothly from warm weather months to cooler ones, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Cars are fairly resilient, but they do require constant care and regular maintenance in order to keep running smoothly and expand their very best years of service. Car prep for fall and winter is very important, and today, we'll be talking through a few top tips to help get your car from one season to the next (and beyond).

Here are some of the things you can do to help prep your car for fall:

Check the tires regularly.

How do you know what to look for when checking your car's tires? You not only have to worry about the exterior of the tires, but also the interior. Start with the way your tires look and feel. How old are the tires? How many miles have you put on them? Is the tread still deep or are the tires near balding and being thread-bare? Good tire tread is important all year long, but especially during months where a lot of rain, ice, and snow come into the mix. Good tire tread will help your car have good traction against elements- yes, even wet leaves! Use the penny trick to check the depth of your tire tread, and if it's time to get new tires, you will absolutely want to be sure to do that before winter rolls around.

You also need to keep track of tire pressure. Most vehicles have automatic tire pressure gauges, which will alert the driver when the tire pressure is too low. If your tire pressure is low, the simple solution here is to put air in the tires, and make sure they are balanced. Rotating your tires is also a good thing to do at least once a year, to help cut down on tread wear on the front tires.

Check your brakes.

Your car can't function if the brakes don't work properly. If at any point during time spent behind the wheel that you happen to notice the brakes don't feel right or are making strange noises, you definitely need to have that checked as soon as possible. Failed brakes could lead to an unfortunate accident if left untreated. Also, make sure your brake lights work properly. So many accidents occur due to middle rear brake lights not working correctly. Avoid a dangerous situation by checking the lights regularly.

Check your car's heating and cooling and make sure you know how they work.

Have you ever driven a car not knowing how to work the heating and cooling system? I sure have, and let me tell you, it was scary! After buying a new car, I got stuck driving in a downpour, which caused all of my windows to fog up, and I had no idea how to work the defroster! I could have gotten into an accident, as my view was blurred, and as I fumbled through every button on the dash to try to  figure out how to clear my windshield. Avoid this type of situation by familiarizing yourself with the heat and air system in your car before you leave the driveway. Making sure you know how to quickly warm up or cool down the car is important during extreme temperatures. It will also help you clear your windows and windshield in the event of fog, steam, rain, snow or ice. Knowing how to use the system will keep you, your passengers, and other drivers around you much safer.

A lot of seasonal transitions when it comes to vehicles is common sense, but you might be surprised by some of the little things that simply slip one's mind when things get busy.

Did this list help you remember anything you may have forgotten to check out with your own car?

Wishing you a safe season!

This post brought to you by Star Dodge.