From fluids to tire pressure, we’ve listed essential car maintenance tips to get you on the road.
Regular maintenance will optimize your car’s performance and save you cash on future repairs. Maintaining your vehicle is a responsibility car owners should never forego. Always chart your servicing schedule with a mechanic to keep your car in tip-top shape.
7 car maintenance tips you should follow
A great way to keep your car in peak performance is to inspect or tune-up its parts and system yourself. Checking your car is a straightforward process, and will keep you from the auto shop at bay.
Check important fluids
One way to tune up your vehicle is to maintain seven important fluids on your car to prevent engine damage.
Oil
Take your vehicle for a short spin and wait about seven minutes before your ride cools down to check the oil. Use a dipstick to see where the oil line is. Know how safe your oil level should be.
Radiator coolant
The radiator coolant prevents your engine from overheating. If you drive a couple of mileage and run low on the coolant, your car is at risk of overheating. Keep an eye on this fluid after driving your car and fill it up if you can see it close at the bottom.
Transmission fluid
As the name suggests, transmission fluids prevent friction in your transmission parts by keeping it lubricated. Similar to an oil check, use a dipstick to measure the current volume of the fluid. Likewise, inspect your transmission fluid if it has dirt particles in it. Also, smell the solution if it has a burnt odor. If it does, change your fluid.
Braking fluid
Your brake fluid is to enhance braking performance and prevent you from ramming into other cars. Inspect the fluid level from its reservoir by the rear area in your engine compartment. Also, examine its color – if it’s dark, time to have it changed.
Steering fluid
Power steering fluid maintains improves the steering ability and control of your car’s wheels by keeping it well-lubricated. Inspect your steering fluid in the reservoir for dirt, discoloration, and volume levels.
Windshield fluid
The windshield washer fluid keeps your view visible and clear when you drive. You can easily see the reservoir by the hood of your vehicle. If it needs more fluid, you can easily add more to its tank.
Air conditioning coolant
Gauge the coolant and check whether it’s working properly. Also, inspect for any leaks in your air conditioning system before renewing gears and accessories from the auto shop.
Clean your air filter
Many vehicle issues are triggered by defective and dirty air filters. The standard is to change your filters every annually or when you’ve reached 12,000 miles. Leaving as it is will lead to murky air problems in your conditioning system. Clean out the debris regularly or use compressed air to take the dust and grime out of the system.
Inspect your tires
Our car maintenance tips are not complete without you checking the pressure of your tires and making sure it’s not over or under-inflated. This can affect how you control the brakes and steering of your vehicle. In addition, it’ll also make you vulnerable to harsh objects in the road, resulting in a tire blowout. Perform tire rotation and wheel adjustments accordingly every month or as needed.
Check for leakage around your battery
Getting stranded on the road is something you don’t want to experience. To prevent this from happening, try not to overlook your battery sign. Inspect for any leakages, dirt, or mineral buildup. You can clean your battery with a brush and have it checked with a mechanic.
Inspect your serpentine belts
See whether your serpentine belts have worn down dry and cracked. Damaged belts can create havoc to other vehicle gears which is detrimental to your ride. Have your belts check after 60,000 miles or as needed.
Repair damaged headlights
Examine your headlights if it needs repairment or replacement. It can be dangerous driving at night with broken lights especially if you’ve reached zero visibility. It won’t take you long to ensure your lights are working.
Final car maintenance tips: keep your exterior and interior clean
Maintaining your engines is not enough. Even dust and debris in your exteriors can wreak havoc on your car if left ignored. The particles can creep into your engine and cause friction to ruin your ride. Besides, you don’t want a dirty car, do you?
From your dashboard and wheels to your upholstery, you need to check each spot to ensure that your interior is clean and undamaged. See whether your upholstery needs cleaning or replacement. Various weather conditions may crack the fabric. Use a special washer or oil to maintain the material.
Other car maintenance tips
Preventive maintenance is the best way to care for your car. However, you can also instill these car maintenance tips to avoid damage and increase the lifespan of your vehicle.
Drive carefully. Carefully doesn’t equate to slowly – the word there to use in this scenario is “smartly.” If you drive recklessly without noting your car’s system, you can damage your ride faster. How you drive clearly reflects on your car.
Use a protective cover. Car covers are great investments to reduce chances or damage and thievery. It can even protect your vehicle from dirt and water seeping in your hood.
Carry automotive tools. Carry vehicle tools with you for easy repairment of your car. If you find yourself in a tricky situation on the road, you can first remedy the problem by overseeing your car before taking it to an auto shop. Some tools you can bring are:
- Car jacks
- Torque wrench
- Ratchet and socket set
- Screwdrivers
- Pliers
- More!
Bring an extra tire. If your tires suddenly lay out flat on the road, you can easily change it with a spare. Make sure when you do your tire maintenance, include your spares. You don’t want to replace your old tires with an equally bad one.
Have a monthly maintenance check. To complete our car maintenance tips, visit your mechanic at least once a month to see if there are damages you haven’t discovered with your bare eyes. Most auto shops offer free vehicle check-ups or discounted maintenance service if you’ve purchased your car from them.
