With summer coming to a close, it’s time to give your car a much-needed tune-up before the cooler months. Summer driving can take a toll on your vehicle, whether your car survived the annual family camping trip relatively unscathed or towed one too many boats. Here are some things to consider doing before September rolls around:

Flush and fill your car’s cooling system. A routine flush is quick and inexpensive, and it’s an easy way to help prevent engine failure. The National Car Care Council recommends flushing the cooling system at least every 24,000 miles. Remember that summertime driving encourages rust, grease and sediment that builds up quickly.

Replace your radiator cap. It’s responsible for raising the cooling-system pressure and increasing the boiling point of the antifreeze and water by 40 degrees. While other parts of your cooling system don’t need to be replaced, the radiator cap does since it also helps prevent boil-overs in the winter months.

Check your brakes. Hot weather can harm hydraulic brake systems, especially in older cars. Besides having the disc brake pads checked for overall condition, flush out and replace contaminated brake fluid. Your brakes are the last things you want to worry about on winter roads, so get them checked out to see if the summer heat did any damage.

Inspect your tires. Because people tend to travel more during the summer, tires naturally get worn down. If your tires are underinflated, they will overheat and start to erode – you may even risk a blowout. Overinflated tires increase your chance of hydroplaning in rainy weather. Make sure your wheels are in proper alignment, and have your tires rotated and balanced. Also replace worn shocks and steering parts.  A good way to check tire tread is to stick a penny in the tread gaps with Lincoln’s head facing down – if you can see the entire head, it’s time to buy some new tires!

There are many things you can do on your own to prepare for colder weather. Basic safety measures can be as simple as putting bags of sand or kitty litter in your trunk or pickup bed so that slippery conditions don’t slip you up this winter. When it comes to the mechanical components of your car, however, trust an expert to analyze and tune-up your vehicle as needed; not only will you have peace of mind on the road, your car will last longer, run smoother and use less gas.