The automobile is our lifeblood since we cannot live without it. Thus, it is important for us to keep our car run properly. However, today’s typical automobile is comprised of more than 20,000 parts. Considering this complexity, we won’t be able to read the entire owner’s manual and figure out exactly how to maintain all of the vehicle parts. Regardless, getting the lowdown on upkeep can save you a consider amount of money and keep you free of troubles.
Having said that, the following is a list of things to do to keep your vehicle safe and avoid any disastrous car problems.
- Inspect tires’ conditions and check their pressures
- Regularly check for wear (one-sided shoulder wear, two-sided shoulder wear, heel and toe wear), tear,cracking, embedded objects, exposed belt materials, bulges, and cuts.
- Based on the factory-recommended air pressures for each tire, check the tire pressure at least once a month to see if it is correct. Incorrect tire pressure affects driving safety, card handles, tire life, fuel economy, car noise and vibration.
- Check the car manufacturer’s sticker inside the driver’s doorjamb for the vehicle’s original tire size,load index, speed rating and cold tire inflation pressure.
- Check and replace nine fluids such as engine oil, coolant, antifreeze, transmission, power steering, brake and washer fluids, and air conditioner refrigerant.
- Since the use of poor quality engine oil can void your car warranty, we advice you to use the synthetic oil that can be be changed every 10,000 miles. Though expensive, synthetic oil is usually slipperier than conventional/regular engine oil and thus can enhance fuel economy. Synthetic oil comes from many different sources and processes and provide enhanced performance as compared to conventional oil that primarily (80% of its volume) comes from base oil refined from crude oil.
- Check the owner’s manual to determine the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) viscosity (thickness of oil) grade, specifications and standards recommended by the manufacturer for your car’s engine oil.
3. Replace wiper blades every six months.
4. Do not ignore trouble/warning lights on the dashboard.
5. Wax your car every three months to protect car paint.