Keeping your car in good running condition necessitates adequate maintenance. It can also ensure your safety and the safety of your passengers and other road users. In this article, we discuss how to maintain your car
1. Inspect your vehicle regularly
Take a look around your vehicle at least once a week. For example, while you’re out for a walk, check your automobile for body damage; inspect your car tyres for wear and punctures, look at the window and even the sunroof. If you find any problem take your car to a mechanic for periodic maintenance.
2. Change the oil
Checking and changing your car’s oil regularly is critical to keeping its engine in good working order. So, check your oil once a month and replace it according to the car’s manual.
You can change your car’s oil yourself or visit a service centre. But, first, you should determine which type of oil is suitable for your car. This usually entails considering the oil’s viscosity, whether to use synthetic or non-synthetic oil and your vehicle’s mileage.
3. Inspection and maintenance of tires
Maintaining your automobile tyre pressure can help you save money on gas by reducing tyre wear and ensuring you get decent mileage. Finding the recommended pressure, verifying the PSI, and inflating or deflating your tyres according to the recommendations are all part of checking your tyre pressure.
A flat tyre is a hazard that can put you and your vehicle at risk. However, you may avoid a blowout by rotating your tyres every 5,000 to 10,000 miles.
4. Clean your engine’s exterior
It’s just as important to keep the outer engine of your car clean as it is to keep the internal engine clean. Even tiny debris in the wrong spot might cause damage to your engine if not cleaned properly. For example, some grease may fall into it while checking your brake fluid. The brake may be damaged as a result of this.
5. Keep your headlights safe
When you park in front of a level surface, check if both headlights are operating correctly and are appropriately positioned. Visually inspect both turn signals and parking lights by walking around your automobile. To ensure that your brake lights are working, ask a friend to stand behind the car while you activate the brakes.
6. Take care of your car’s battery
Your car’s battery is one of the most critical parts of your car’s functionality. An automobile’s battery is responsible for supplying a large amount of electricity to the starter, engine, and other electronic components. As a result, the battery’s performance is affected by extreme temperatures.
7. Replace your spark plugs if necessary
Spark plugs can reduce the efficiency of your car’s engine. This is because they’re in charge of lighting the gas-air mixture that powers your vehicle. As a result, when the spark plugs aren’t working correctly, the engine loses power and doesn’t operate as well as it could. So have your spark plugs inspected by a professional and replaced if they’re faulty.
8. Check to see if your cooling system is working
Your car’s cooling system and radiator must be clean to perform efficiently and effectively. A deposit forms on your car’s radiator when wear and tear happen, causing the cooling system to malfunction. You can keep your cooling system in good shape fast and affordably with a radiator flush.
9. Understand the significance of various warning light signs
Almost every automobile has a complex sensor and warning system that tell you everything wrong with your car: whether you forgot to replace the gas cap or if one of your tyres is low on air. Learn what the warning lights on your automobile represent and how to fix them. Your car’s manual can be instrumental in this situation. If any light flashes and you can’t figure out what’s wrong, take your vehicle to a trustworthy repair.
10. Keep your car’s inside safe
As much as possible, avoid consuming food in your car. Covering surfaces as much as possible is an excellent way to proceed. Keep floor mats on hand to prevent mud or filth from being tracked in and ground into the carpets by your feet. Seat covers can assist you in improving your posture and modifying your vehicle’s aesthetic. Make it a habit to vacuum your automobile regularly. If you live in humid weather, try to keep windows slightly ajar. If you can’t get the hot air out of your car, it has the potential to dry out and harm the interiors.
11. Wax your automobile
Waxing your automobile after every six months will keep it beautiful, and it will also help prevent rust and keep the paint in good shape. Irritants like dust, sand, and salt can accumulate, and environmental variables like ozone and ultraviolet light can damage cells at a microscopic level. On the other hand, Waxing can assist extend the life of your paint and reduce this by producing a protective seal.
12. Use only the best-detailing supplies
When you use the correct supplies and detailing tools on your car, it will look like it just left the showroom. It also serves as a weather-resistant layer, ensuring that it looks as good as new.
13. Check the refrigerant level in your air conditioner
It’s critical to know what refrigerant you’ll need before beginning any A/C project. The air conditioner must have the right amount of refrigerant, the cooling chemical that keeps your car functioning smoothly. If the ac in your car isn’t blowing cold air or there’s a clicking noise coming from the motor, it’s time to recharge it.
14. Check the hoses and belts
Keeping your vehicle’s belts and hoses in good condition will help you keep it running and avoid a breakdown on the road. Several of your car’s systems may fail if your serpentine belt breaks while driving.
Check your belts and hoses after every oil change to ensure they’re in good operating order and don’t need to be replaced.
15. Change the air filter in your engine
Dirt and other particulates can enter your car’s engine through a dirty engine air filter, reducing efficiency. So once a year, check your car’s air filter and replace it if necessary.
16. Get your brakes inspected
Your car’s brake pads should also be inspected regularly. While driving, listen for any braking noises or quivering or vibrating from the brake pedal. If you have any problems, call a support centre as soon as possible.
17. Clean & wash your car
Your car is exposed to various substances from dust and dirt to ice melt to tree sap and bird droppings. According to AccuWeather, some of these risks are ugly, but they can also harm paint and the undercarriage.
Maintaining the cleanliness of your vehicle can help you avoid long-term damage. Find a car cleaning procedure that works for you and wash your automobile regularly.
18. Check the fluids
Several fluids need to be kept at the optimum amounts to keep your car running smoothly. You or your mechanic should check the following fluids:
- Engine lubricant
- Coolant
- Fluid for power steering
- Fluid for brakes
- Fluid for transmission
Any of these fluid leaks can affect the way your car drives. If you observe a leak, you may be able to identify the fluid by its colour. This can help your mechanic figure out where the leak is coming from.
19. Windshield wipers must be replaced
If your wipers aren’t working as well as they used to, don’t ignore the problem. Damaged or worn-out blades may reduce visibility during severe rain or snowstorm. Knowing how to regularly inspect and change your wiper blades is one way to help keep your car safe.
20. Check your auto insurance
It’s a good idea to examine your auto insurance coverage regularly. This will assist you in ensuring that the coverages, limits, and deductibles on your insurance are current and appropriate for your present position.
21. Bring the car to the professionals.
Although you can fix certain items in your automobile yourself, there are instances when the vehicle’s condition necessitates professional assistance. So, whenever you have a problem with your car, take it to an approved car care provider. Keeping the receipts from any repair job is a good idea. Accurate maintenance records can raise the value of your vehicle to potential buyers when you sell it.
Maintaining your car’s reliability, market value, and attractiveness is the most excellent approach to protecting it. Automobile maintenance is a step forward to protect your car value.
