Like numerous things in life, our vehicles require routine care and attention. Let’s face it, you don’t wish to be broken down at the side of the road, or see your car fail its MOT on easy concerns that could have been prevented! Vehicle upkeep is essential.
So what does maintenance mean on a car? Well, essentially all it is, is keeping an eye on certain elements of your car to guarantee it’s in good condition. Don’t stress, it’s not complicated.
We’re going to show you what car upkeep consists of, how to do upkeep on your car and why car maintenance is essential. These fundamental car maintenance tasks will keep your car in tip top condition!
How often to carry out these checks?
It’s a great idea to do regular upkeep on your car. Going out and checking out your car once a month as well as regularly running it is an excellent way to keep your car in top shape. Routine upkeep on your car is so crucial – after all, we spend a lot cash on our cars, why would not we want to keep them in good condition? Keeping up typical maintenance on your car is crucial to keeping it running smoothly, working as it should, saving you money, and allowing you to not fret when it enters into the garage for an MOT or car service.
Tire checks
Even when your car isn’t being used, your tyres can lose pressure. Every couple of weeks, and prior to a longer journey, you ought to check your tyre pressure and tread depth as well as the condition of your tyres to guarantee you are safe to drive.
Prevent a flat battery
If your car isn’t being used as much at the moment, or is only being used on very short journeys, this can have a knock on result on your car battery. It can result in your car battery not getting completely charged up, which in turn can stop it from working which, when you do ultimately start the car, it simply won’t start.
So how do you check your car battery? Well to examine the voltage you’ll need a car battery tester – they’re pretty simple to use and you can find them in most car stores or online. Have a look in your car owners manual for how much charge your battery should have (it’s usually around 12-13 volts).
It’s extremely crucial to look after the health of your car battery and there’s a number of different ways you can do it;
Try to avoid turning your car off and on again multiple times.
Disconnect anything when the car isn’t in use that may be utilizing the power – such as a dashcam.
Avoid regular short car journeys. If you have access to more than one car, switch it up for drives a bit further away.
Lights checks.
Inspect all the lights on your car are working a few times a month, cleaning any dirt off them to ensure they shine brightly. It is worth asking a member of your family to help you – they can see how your lights are working from the outside, whilst you remain in the car running the switches. Some modern-day vehicles with an onboard computer system will inform you if a light has actually failed – however, it’s worth being in the habit of checking yourself just in case.
Windshield check.
Keep an eye out for any damage or fractures on your windscreen. If you discover damage, you ought to get it changed or repaired ASAP. Whilst we don’t all keep our vehicles spotlessly clean – it’s important that you keep your windows clean to ensure you have the very best exposure. Keep in mind in the winter season months to not use boiling water to thaw your windscreen – this will likely lead to your windscreen cracking!
Wipers.
Do not forget to give your wipers a wipe when cleaning your car. Getting them changed once a year should make sure you won’t be captured with smeary windows in the rain – but if you discover they are dragging or not performing as they should, examine and clean them, and if it doesn’t improve, get them changed. And let’s face it, window wipers are quite necessary for travelling in the UK!
Screenwash.
We have actually all driven down muddy lanes and found ourselves having to spray and wipe the windshield over and over again. To avoid being captured short, make sure you check it weekly (and top it up if required) also before a long journey.
Water.
Check Weekly, when the engine is cool, examine the coolant level is within the minimum and optimum marks – after all, letting your engine to overheat can cause major damage.
Oil.
Check your oil weekly to make certain it’s in between the min and max levels. Again, make sure the engine is cool when you do this and bear in mind that overfilling your engine with oil, can trigger damage too.
Tool/emergency Kit.
In case of a breakdown, it’s worth looking that your emergency package and toolset are in the car. This includes ensuring you have a spare wheel (or leak repair kit), your locking wheel nut (if you have one), a jack, extra water and potentially some non-perishable snacks due to the fact that what’s even worse than breaking down? Breaking down when you’re starving!
Car bodywork.
When you’re cleaning your car, or inspecting your tires, it’s worth giving your car’s bodywork a quick check for any indications of damage or rust. You can fix rusty bodywork yourself if it’s a small area, as it’s generally just cosmetic damage. If the rust starts to get bigger and you end up being concerned, speak with a mechanic as there might be a larger concern.
Listen to your car.
You’ll understand very quickly if something doesn’t sound quite right in the car. It’s best not to ignore these things and hope they disappear – instead make sure you get it looked at by a garage as soon as you can, as it might assist you to avoid a breakdown, or significant costs later.
Getting out and examining over your car once a month as well as regularly running it is a fantastic method to keep your car in top shape. Regular upkeep on your car is so crucial – after all, we spend so much cash on our cars, why wouldn’t we want to keep them in tip top condition? Keeping up typical maintenance on your car is key to keeping it running smoothly, working as it should, conserving your money, and enabling you to not stress when it goes into the garage for an MOT or car service.
