8 easy things you can do at home to ensure your car is safe and well maintained
- Check your tyres
Simple things such as checking your tyre pressures and how much tread is remaining can drastically increase the life of your tyres, so you won’t have to replace them as often. It is also important to check your spare if you have one. If you don’t own a tyre pressure gauge, you can check your tyre pressures at most service stations. Check your owner’s manual to find the correct tyre pressure for your car.
- Check your indicators, headlights, and taillights
Checking your indicators, headlights and taillights is a simple and quick way to ensure that yourself and other road users are safe on the road. Regularly checking that your indicators and lights are working is not only beneficial for your safety, but it will also help you avoid an unexpected fine.
- Check your engine oil
You should check your engine oil at least once a month, you can do this by following these easy steps:
- Take your car for a short drive to warm up the engine.
- Park your car on level ground, if its on a hill you will get an inaccurate reading.
- Open your bonnet and locate your dipstick.
- Remove the dipstick, wipe the oil off the end with a clean rag, then place it back and make sure it goes in completely.
- Remove the dipstick again and look for the point that the oil stops at the bottom of the dipstick – there should be two markings (usually lines or dots), if the oil stops between these markings, there is enough oil in your engine. If it is below the lower marking, you need to top up the oil.
It is important to make sure you do not overfill your engine oil.
- Check the condition of your battery
The easiest way to check the health of your battery is with a voltmeter, these are inexpensive and can be purchased from most auto parts stores. To check the voltage of your battery using the voltmeter, simply connect it to the positive and negative terminals of the battery and look for a reading of 12.6 volts or higher. If it is above 12.6 volts your battery is fully charged and in good condition, if it is below 12.6 volts it may need to be replaced.
- Check your radiator and engine cooling system
Checking the radiator coolant levels is as simple as a visual inspection. Open your bonnet and check that the level of coolant in the overflow reservoir is between the minimum and maximum markings. You may also want to check the level in the radiator too, however, it is important to never remove the radiator cap while the engine is still hot. After driving, wait a few hours for your engine to cool down before you remove the radiator cap. If your coolant level is low, top it up with the coolant recommended in your owner’s manual.
- Check your windscreen wipers and washer fluid
To ensure your vision while driving is not impaired from dirt or rain on your windscreen, you should keep an eye on your washer fluid and the condition of your windscreen wipers.
To top up your washer fluid, mix the correct ration of clean water and washer fluid additive, and fill to the max line of your washer fluid reservoir.
The condition of your windscreen wipers can be checked by looking for cracks or general wear and tear. If they are leaving streaks on your windscreen when it rains it may be time to replace them.
- Do not ignore any warning lights that appear on your dashboard
It is extremely important that you do not ignore any warning lights that appear on your dashboard and remain there. These are usually an indicator that there is something significantly wrong with your vehicle and if left unattended, it could result in very costly repairs.
- Check your transmission and power steering fluids
Over time, your vehicle may develop a leak in either your transmission or power steering systems. As the correct method in checking your transmission and power steering fluids can vary significantly between vehicles, it is important to consult your owner’s manual. Discoloured fluid may also be a sign that it is time to replace the fluids.
Does your car need a service or repair? Book your appointment with Shelly Beach Mechanical today!