Car Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Vehicle in Good Shape

Properly maintaining your auto parts is key to keeping your car in top condition. It can also help ensure your safety, the safety of your passengers and your fellow drivers. Here are some ways to help keep your car running smoothly.

Check Your Air Filter

Many car problems are due to clogged air filters or loose fittings. The air filter prevents dirt and particles from entering the engine. During combustion your engine needs air, and a clogged filter may impact performance. You should get your filters changed every 12 months or after 12000 miles, whichever comes fast. Don't ignore this maintenance as it could lead to problems in your car engine or car cabin as you also breath air that is filtered by the internal cabin air filter.

Change engine oil and filter regularly

Many car owner’s manual today recommend increasing the interval between oil changes. But frequent oil change is still necessary especially if you are maintaining a used car. Frequent oil changes flush abrasive dirt and metal particles out of the engine, thus prolonging its life. Change the oil filters because the old filters contain buildup of oil and dirt particles that will otherwise remain and mix with the new, clean oil.

Change spark plugs

Many manufacturers recommend changing spark plugs every 50, 000 km. This ensures good fuel mileage and high engine performance.

Change spark plugs

Before a summer filled with road trips, be sure to inspect your tires. Carefully look at them, checking for excessive tread wear, uneven wear and bulges in the sidewalls. These are all signs that you may need a new set of tires before hitting the highway.

Driving on worn tires is extremely dangerous. Not only will you experience poor handling and braking, but worn tires are also prone to blowouts – putting you and your passengers in a precarious position.

Be sure to check the tire pressure to ensure that they aren’t under or over inflated. This will help maximize gas mileage on those long trips. Also take a moment to examine your spare tire to make sure it is inflated properly. If you get sidelined with a flat tire, you’ll be glad you did this.

Keep the dirt out

Dirt, dust and other contaminants are your car’s enemy. Dirt in the engine can cause a host of problems including reduced gas mileage while dirt in the heating and cooling system can compromise the air quality inside your vehicle.

To keep the dirt out, make sure your engine air filter and cabin air filter are clean and up to the job. Do a visual inspection of both filters and if either are excessively dirty, replace it with a new filter. A dirty engine air filter reduces the amount of fresh air your engine gets while a clogged cabin air filter can affect the performance of the heating and air conditioning and lead to musty odors inside your car.

Check Your Battery

I have had my car battery stop working. Everything seemed fine then my car just wouldn't start. We all may be faced with a situation like this, where we are left stranded somewhere. It wouldn't be fun if I was stranded at night with just my cell phones.

To avoid this I can check my car battery. I can first check the cables and their connection to the terminals. You can check for leakage or any mineral build up around the cables and terminals. Clean the terminal with a battery cleaning brush if needed and you can always apply dielectric grease to help them stay corrosion free. Using a multimeter with the engine off, you can check if the battery is charged fully (about 12.4 to 12.7 volts). When the car is on you can carefully check the voltage. It should be around 13.7 to 14.7 volts.

Clean your Windshields and Replace the Wipers

A dirty windshield can prove to be a lot of hassle when you can't see clearly. If they are not cleaned regularly they can cause visual impairments and can result in accidents at times. It is very important for the driver to have a clear view of the road for safe driving. If you don't clean them, the dirt and particle can accumulate and scratch the windshield when you use the wipers.

If the rainy season is approaching, check your wipers and get them replaced if needed. Using damaged wipers can cause scratches on the glass and obstruct your view, which might lead the need to replace your entire windshield.

Inspect and Replace Serpentine Belts

Thoroughly inspect your serpentine belts and check for wear. If these belts fail, they can cause damage to the engine parts, making a small priced item that needs to be replaced turn into a huge bill.

If you get regular maintenance, your car dealer service center should let you know when it's time to replace the belt. It is recommended to get it checked every 60,000 miles but you should look at the owner's manual to get the best information for your car. Replacing a belt is usually easy with a few tools.

Check your Brakes

You may have seen a movie where someone can't sop their car because their brake line were cut. In real life we won't have this scene play out, but is we ignore brake problems we can find ourselves getting into an accident. If the brakes fail to work properly, it can be caused by some of the following: the rotors, the brake pads, the brake fluid, and the break pedal. The most common reason would be the brake pads or a leak in the brake fluid.

It's a good idea to check your breaks if you notice any issues out of the ordinary. If you want to check the breaks yourself, you'll need to inspect the brake pads and brake fluid reservoir. This usually requires removing the tires and possibly getting under the car if you suspect a brake fluid leak.

Carry the Automotive Tools at all Times

A good tip to maintain your car on the go is to carry some basic tools, so you'll be ready be ready to face different problems and have tools to work with. Delaying fixing a leak for example, can potentially cause damage to your engine of other car systems. Either you will need to call for a tow truck or use your tools to work on the problem. Driving might not be an option.

Tools that might be helpful are: thick gloves, heat resistant waterproof silicone tape, electrical tape, wire cutters, screw drivers (Phillips head, and flat head), tongue and grove pliers, a flashlight, and a knife. A tool kit might come in handy. A set of tools, which is readily available will give you choices that you wouldn't have otherwise. They come in handy in other situations as well. Deciding where to store them might be the hardest decision you make.