It's that time of year again. Time to start promoting seasonal service checks. So before family hits the road for vacation with gas possibly hitting $3 per gallon, here are some service items that should be checked.

TIRES
Tires obviously play a very important role in safe driving because of their affect on traction, handling and braking. It is unsafe to think that warm weather means that tread depth is not important. Here are some things to look for when inspecting the tires:

TREAD DEPTH - If the tread is worn down to the wear bars, or minimum specifications, the tires need to be replaced.

TOE WEAR - A feathered wear pattern across the tread on the front tires or heavy shoulder wear usually indicates toe misalignment (toe in or out).

CAMBER WEAR shows up on the inside or outside shoulders of the tread. Wear on the inside edge of both tires may be due to negative camber or toe misalignment (too much toe-out). Check for collapsed control arm bushings, a bent strut, mislocated strut tower, or a bent spindle. Wear on the outside shoulder of the tires can be caused by positive camber, toe misalignment (too much toe-in), or hard cornering (driving too fast).

CUPPED WEAR - Badly cupped tires tell you the tires are bouncing as they roll. The underlying cause here may be a wheel balance problem (check for missing weights or excessive runout), or worn shocks or struts.

UNEVEN WEAR - This can occur i...