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Unless you are a professional mechanic, you won’t ever really be able to
completely fix your car on your own. Preventative maintenance is extremely important for your vehicle. Adhering to
a maintenance schedule will prolong the life of your vehicle and reduce the chance of unexpected breakdowns.
Before beginning a maintenance routine read your car owner’s manual. This helps you become familiar with your car as a whole and learn what your
car needs to function properly. Once you’re a little more familiar with your
vehicle, you can take care of it by following our car maintenance tips.
Six Do-It-Yourself Car Maintenance Tips
Tip #1: Check your tires
Making sure that tire pressure is set to factory specifications increases the life of the tire. Find out how much tire pressure you should have by
checking the car owner's manual or calling the car dealership.
Inspect tire tread for wear. If you can see a solid bar of rubber
across the width of the tread, it’s time for a replacement.
A good rule of thumb is to have your
tires rotated every six to eight thousand miles.
Tip #2: Fluids, belts and hoses
Check under the car's hood to see if the fluids are low or if
there is wear and tear on the belts and hoses on a regular basis and always before long road trips.
Tip #3: Windshield wipers
Replace under performing wipers at home. Check in the owner's manual for correct model of wipers for your car.
Tip #4: Brakes
Good brakes are essential. There are a number of ways to check
the brakes:
• If brakes squeal or grind when stopping, they need to be cleaned
or the pads need to be replaced.
• If the car pulls to one side when braking there is a lack of hydraulic pressure.
• If the pedal goes all the way down, it usually means that the rear brake
lining is wearing thin. If the pedal just feels soft when braking, you may be
low on brake fluid.
If your car has a brake light that glows, don’t ignore it when
it lights up. Filling the brake fluid might resolve the problem. If not,
take it to the mechanics for a check.
Tip #5: Car battery maintenance
It’s almost probable that you’ll have to replace your car’s battery at some
point. There are ways to prevent it from happening too quickly:
• Clean the cables with a wire brush and a mixture of one tablespoon baking
soda and one cup water. Be sure to disconnect the cables from the battery
before cleaning. Adding some petroleum jelly to the posts will make reapplying
the cables easier.
• Check the connections. If the cables are loose, tighten them. If your car
comes with a bar that holds the battery down, be sure it’s secure.
Tip #6: Car maintenance schedule
Every vehicle has a car maintenance schedule. In most cases,
scheduled maintenance is required at 30,000 miles, 45,000 miles, 60,000 miles
and so on. Adhering to your car maintenance schedule will ensure that your
vehicle stays in proper working order as long as possible.
The Bottom Line
Preventative maintenance is manageable and will save the
stress of premature repair costs and vehicle breakdowns. In other words, maintenance helps you get the very most out of your car.
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