Top 5 car maintenance tips everyone should know
Top 5 car maintenance tips everyone should know
By Farzana Chaumoo
It is essential to maintain your car in order to keep it on the road. While we know car maintenance can be a little intimidating for those who don’t spend a lot of time with their heads under the bonnet, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We want to help you keep your car running in peak condition so here are five easy basic tips.
1. Check your car battery
Ever had your car battery run out at the most inopportune time? Or have you ever been stranded on a dark road at night with only the light of your cellphone? It’s happened to many of us when we need our cars the most and it’s not a great situation.
To avoid this happening, you should never ignore a battery warning light on your dash. If it comes on, get it checked immediately, especially if you travel with kids and passengers often. Also, regularly check for leakage or any mineral build up around the battery and clean it with a battery cleaning brush when necessary.
2. Rotate and balance your tyres
One of the easiest and simplest ways of making your tyres last longer is to get them rotated once in a while. The reason for this is because all tyres do not wear the same. So by rotating the front and rear tyres, you balance the wear and make them more durable.
After rotation, also ensure that your tyres are balanced and aligned as non-aligned tyres can make you lose control of your car and cause accidents.
3. Clean your Windshields and Replace the Wipers
Accumulated dirt on your windscreen can cause the quality of the glass to deteriorate while it also affects the view of the driver. Therefore it is important to regularly clean your windscreen to get a clear view of the road for safe driving.
If you know the rainy season is approaching check your wipers and replace them if necessary. With continual use of damaged wipers, scratches to the glass will occur which will ultimately obstruct your view and put your safety at risk. If your glass becomes very scratched and/or damaged, that may lead to replacing your whole windshield altogether.
The hoses, which carry the engine coolant can damage very quickly as they transport high-pressure fluids, which can break if the pressure is too high. Also, the heater hoses face the same problem as they carry hot coolant to the passenger compartment.
4. Ensure the Working of the Cooling System
The hoses that carry the engine coolant can damage very quickly as they transport high-pressure fluids, which sometimes can break if the pressure is too high. The heater hoses face the same problem as they carry hot coolant to the passenger compartment.
Getting your cooling system replaced would cut deep into your pockets so regularly inspect them for any damage and take action immediately.
5. Check your Brakes
Do you know that scene in a movie where the brakes fail at a really bad time? And while you may not read much into that scene, it does actually happen daily in real life. It’s a very scary and risky situation to be in so don’t let this become your reality. Also, an efficient brake system will help keep your car youthful and last longer.
Furthermore, it ensures the safe transportation of your passengers and the people around you so get your brakes checked and replaced if necessary. It’s as simple as changing your car's oil.
Also, check your brake fluid to see if the system is working properly. If the colour is a little on the dark side then you would need to change it. The dark brown or black colour indicates that the fluid is filled with small pieces of rubber or contaminants leaching out of brake lines and should be replaced as soon as possible.
To make the brake system more durable, you should replace it completely every two years. If your car is more than seven years old then change the rubber brake lines for smooth driving.
Recommended: