AKRON, Ohio, Oct. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- October is Fall Car Care Month—a perfect time for motorists to make sure their vehicles are ready for the winter weather ahead. But for many, a lack of knowledge about basic automotive maintenance can make servicing their vehicle an intimidating task.

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To help better educate consumers on the importance of vehicle maintenance, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NASDAQ: GT) will host regularly scheduled car care clinics across its national network of more than 600 Goodyear Auto Service Center locations.

The clinics are free and open to the public, and educate drivers on a variety of maintenance-related topics, including:

• Tire Care: learning the basics of tire wear, maintenance, inflation and how to change a flat tire;
• Under the hood: demonstrations on how to check your vehicle's fluids and inspect belts and hoses;
• Electrical: inspecting lights, changing fuses and jump-starting a battery;
• Under the body: a detailed explanation of items under the vehicle, such as shock absorbers, brakes and exhaust systems.

"Everyone can benefit from a basic understanding of automotive maintenance," said John Peer, vice president and general manager, Goodyear Retail. "Goodyear is committed to helping drivers understand how their vehicles work. We believe the more informed the consumer, the better the car care experience will be for everyone involved."

To help promote this effort, Goodyear has teamed up with the Car Care Council—a non-profit organization operated by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA). Created to help car owners take a proactive role in maintaining their vehicles, the Car Care Council is a leader in educating consumers on automotive care.

"The Car Care Council is extremely pleased to work with Goodyear in hosting car care clinics at its retail outlets across the country," said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. "Goodyear's goal of educating consumers about the importance of automotive service and maintenance reinforces the ongoing efforts of our 'Be Car Care Aware' consumer education campaign."

According to Peer, regular automotive maintenance is an important factor in both vehicle safety and reliability. And, when consumers are more educated about the type of maintenance their vehicle needs, they'll feel more confident in their automotive service decisions.

Each month, Goodyear will host at least one car care clinic in each of its 36 districts across the country. Clinics will be led by a Goodyear store or service manager. To see if a car care clinic is coming to a store near you, visit the car care events page at www.carcare.org or contact your local Goodyear Auto Service Center (a store locator is available at www.goodyearautoservice.com).

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the "Be Car Care Aware" consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For a copy of the council's Car Care Guide, also available electronically, or for more information, visit www.carcare.org.

The Goodyear Auto Service Centers are full-service tire and automotive repair stores wholly owned and operated by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Since 1924, the Goodyear Auto Service Centers have provided excellence in tire and automotive service to drivers nationwide.

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies.  It employs approximately 69,000 people and manufactures its products in 52 facilities in 22 countries around the world.  Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry.  For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.

SOURCE The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company