What is a Seasonal Health Check, and why should you have one?

Travel safe and with peace of mind this winter, by giving your Mercedes-Benz a Seasonal Health Check, now available at our retailers in Taunton, Exeter, Plymouth and Truro. Wondering what’s included? Here's an overview of what our two Seasonal Health Check options contain.

Seasonal Health Check for Petrol, Diesel and Hybrid Vehicles  - £39.99.

A Visual Health Check (VHC)

This process involves our highly trained technicians inspecting important components of your vehicle, including the brakes and tyres, to check that everything is in good working order.  The key to this vehicle inspection is to highlight any key areas for concern, ensuring the safety of your vehicle – after all, the tyres are the only thing between you and the road - and to help you plan for any required future maintenance.

Worn tyres are dangerous at any time, but especially as stopping distances increase in icy, snowy or wet conditions. Tyres need a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm by law, but in older seasons, experts such as the RAC recommended you change tyres at 3mm to maintain safe stopping distances. Our technicians will check your tread depth to make sure that you’re ready and safe for the road, as well as checking your brakes and vehicle’s undercarriage.

You can find further details on our VHC process here: 

Anti-Freeze Top-Up

Most vehicles that are younger than 15 years old have been built to weather most storms, if they have been correctly maintained. This regular maintenance comes into its own in the colder months and can help to avoid expensive repairs, extend the life of your car, and make sure that you and your family are kept safe this winter.

The engine cooling system should be filled with a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and distilled water to prevent freezing (and boiling over in warmer months). The AA advises that Anit-freeze is a vital component of your engine’s system during the colder seasons, and that it is especially important in modern cars due to their smaller cooling systems. That’s why, as part of your Seasonal Health Check, our Mercedes-Benz expert technicians will fully check your cooling system and, in addition to topping up the anti-freeze, may expose any small leaks, to avoid any potential future problems.

Windscreen Wiper Fluid

We tend to see an increase in usage of washer fluid over the colder months, due to the extra moisture and grit being used on the roads to help our tyres grip in icy conditions. It’s also illegal to have an insufficient amount of fluid in your screen washer bottle, so we’ll ensure that is fully topped up for you.

Engine Oil Top-Up

Our technicians in Taunton, Exeter, Plymouth and Truro will check your oil level is between the minimum and maximum mark on your car's dipstick. The RAC says one in three vehicles it’s patrols attend are dangerously low on oil, which can lead to a breakdown or engine damage.

A cold car will look low on oil, so it’s important to check the level once your engine in fully warmed-up. Remember, too much oil can be as bad as too little. This check will also be carried out as part of our Seasonal Health Check, to ensure you’re striking the right balance and, if required, we will top this up (up to 1 litre).

AdBlue Top-Up

AdBlue (which can also be referred to as Diesel Exhaust Fluid, or DEF), works to reduce the harmful nitrogen oxides in your diesel engine, by injecting a urea-based solution into the exhaust stream. Ensuring you have enough AdBlue is essential to keep your engine running, as an empty AdBlue tank will stop your vehicle from starting. To avoid any issues over the next few months, we will top this up for you.

It is also worth noting that diesel engines can be affected by congestion in the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF), so it’s important to give the car regular journeys, ideally exceeding 50mph, to clear any built up soot and/or ash.  

Wash and Vacuum

Who doesn’t love a freshly cleaned car? To provide you with the full package and Mercedes-Benz South West experience, once your Seasonal Top-Up has been completed in one of our workshops, our team will complete a full wash and vacuum, to ensure your Mercedes-Benz is ready to hit the road.

Seasonal Health for Electric Vehicles - £59.99

As electric vehicles have different parts and additional technology, they require a slightly different Seasonal Health Check to ensure they are ready for the colder months ahead. Along with the Vehicle Health Check (VHC) and wash and vacuum mentioned above, our EV Seasonal Health Check will also include:

Battery Health Report

Your battery keeps your electric car moving, so it’s only natural that our expert technicians would check this is in good working order during a Health Check. Battery failure is the most common reported cause of breakdowns in the colder months, as the colder weather has a adverse effect for your car battery. When temperatures fall below zero, even a fully charged battery will only have two-thirds of its power available, so you may notice that your available range is lower than usual.

As part of the check we will carry out a full battery evaluation to make sure it is at full strength and let you know of any problems that need further attention. Also known as a State of Health Check (SoH), our diagnostic computer will analyse the capacity and general condition of your battery, whilst also evaluating the control unit and communication.

Software Evaluation

Mercedes-Benz UK are constantly working to improve the technological performance of your vehicle. Software updates have become even more pertinent in recent years, due to the advancement in technology and increased usage of the infotainment system. As we head into winter and start preparing for those long journeys to see family and friends over the Christmas and New Year period, it’s essential that elements such as your navigation system are fully updated.

As part of our EV Seasonal Health Check, our Mercedes-Benz South West expert technicians will check if any essential software updates are required, before completing any potential updates. Certain software updates can now be completed remotely, if you are successfully connected to your Mercedes Me account, but for more complex updates, we can complete these in one of our workshops in Taunton, Exeter, Plymouth or Truro. Please be advised, certain software updates may require an additional charge through the Mercedes Me Store, but one of our Service Team Managers will discuss this with you.

Battery Key Fob Check

What use would a key be with a dead battery? As part of your Seasonal Health Check, we will check if your key fob battery is low or depleted.

*Please be advised, there will be an additional charge to replace the battery, if required. 

Stay Safe on the Roads this Season

There are also a few essentials that you should pack in the boot in the colder months, just in case you suffer a breakdown at the hands of jack-frost:

·        A fully charged mobile phone

·        A blanket

·        A warm coat

·        A torch

·        Your breakdown cover details

·        An ice scraper

·        De-icer

·        A warm drink and snacks

·        Bottles of water

Book your Seasonal Health Check today at our Exeter, Plymouth, Taunton and Truro sites. Available from the 15^th of October to the 15^th of February only.