GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

With cooling temps and shorter days, take a few minutes to check all you lights and your tire pressure. I did, and found one burnt running light, and all of my tires were uniformly low.

What other maintenance do you do to get ready this time of year?

Top up the coolant tank with anti-freeze. (In summer, I top up with distilled water)
Refill washer fluid. (I like the Rain-X orange)

Check moving items for performance robbing rust calipers, suspension. Check brake lines for rust or pitting. Remove the rear storage tray take out summer items put in winter items, kitty litter, ice scrapper. Usually give the Vibe a good drink of gas treatment to help neutralize any water deposits from ethanol blended gas.

Put these on... Probably before Halloween once the snow starts to threaten.

Check the spare tire pressure and make sure the ice scraper is easily accessible.

I check tire pressure (and all fluids) once a month; I check the spare at the oil change.

Our winter wheels and tires will be going on on November 1st this year since our summer wheels now have dedicated summer tires instead of all seasons. I'll also give the Vibes hand washes and put a coat of wax on them before it gets too cold. Last but not least, I'll start using winter blend windshield washer fluid. Nothing major.

I start doing parking brake turns in our cul de sac until it works; indicating snow or ice on the ground. I then return to home and board myself up in the crawl space within the basement until spring.

Lacking a garage, I'll take care of anything out of the ordinary maintenance-wise that would be too difficult to perform over the winter. I need to get off my (removed) and finally replace that intake gasket.

I usually do an oil change in late October/early November which will get me through until spring.

The cars will get a clay bar / wax treatment before winter (Vibe will just get a wax since the clear coat is all falling off.) Check for any places to touch up. Lubricate weather stripping and door hinges. Check the battery terminals, clean if necessary. Probably other stuff I can't remember right now.

These days I check fluids and such on a weekly basis, tires about once a month.