Car trouble in Reno
Reno sits on the boundary between the high desert of the western Great Basin and the Sierra Nevada, and the National Weather Service notes that its high-desert setting produces large temperature swings from day to night and from season to season. Cars here face cold starts, treated winter roads and hot, dry summers, sometimes within the same year's commute.
Cold starts and batteries
Washoe County's residential design criteria use a 17°F winter design temperature. Cold thickens engine oil and slows the chemistry inside a battery, so the engine is harder to turn over just as the battery has less to give. A battery that barely made it through summer heat often fails on a cold morning. Ask for a battery and charging system test before winter, and make sure the oil is the grade your owner's manual specifies for cold weather.
Salt, sand and brine
The City of Reno's main ice-control material on its own streets is a mixture of salt and sand along with salt brine, and crews pre-treat priority streets, bridges and inclines with brine before storms. Brine sticks to the underside of a car and works into seams; salt speeds corrosion on brake lines, brake calipers and their hardware, exhaust parts and suspension components. Sand acts as an abrasive. Rinse the underside regularly through the winter. At brake service, ask the shop to check the brake lines and caliper slides for corrosion, and to clean and lubricate the hardware so the pads don't stick.
Studded-tire season
Nevada law allows tires with metal studs only between October 1 and April 30. Swapping between winter and summer tires is a good time for a quick check of brakes, suspension and tire wear. If tires wear unevenly, an alignment may be due.
Mountain driving
Trips over the Sierra mean long climbs and long descents. Climbing on a hot day loads the cooling system and transmission; descending heats the brakes. If the transmission feels like it's slipping on a climb, or the brakes feel soft or smell hot on a descent, get them checked.
Dry heat
Summers are hot and dry. Heat ages batteries, rubber hoses and belts, and air conditioning works hard. Dust from desert roads clogs engine air filters and cabin air filters faster than the owner's manual's normal interval assumes; many manuals give a shorter interval for dusty conditions.
Windshields
Sand and gravel on winter roads chip windshields. Small chips can sometimes be repaired before they spread. Temperature swings can turn a chip into a crack, so deal with it sooner rather than later.
Choosing a shop
Ask how the shop diagnoses problems, whether they charge for diagnosis, and whether they'll call you before doing anything beyond the estimate. Ask what the warranty covers, in writing.