Car maintenance checklist
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Battery
Check the battery condition visually. If you see any leaks, cracks or other damage, the battery needs to be replaced. Make sure the battery terminals are tight and not corroded. Corrosion at the battery terminals will cause poor connection, which can result in all kinds of problems, including a no-start. |
Windshield wipers
Replace the wipers at least once a year or earlier if they don't clean the windshield properly. If you still have the original wipers installed, you can just replace the rubber refills; they cost just a few bucks and can be purchased from your local dealership's parts department. Check if the windshield washer jets are working properly. |
Tires
Check the tire pressure regularly - at least once a month. If you don't have the tire pressure gauge, it's worth to buy a good one. You can find the recommended tire pressure in the owner's manual or on the tire pressure placard (see photo), which might be located on the driver's door jamb, inside the gas tank lid or inside the glove box. |
Measure tire pressure when the tires are still cold. |
Pump or deflate to the recommended pressure. The maximum pressure listed on tires is NOT the proper pressure! |
There is a safe limit of the tread wear. If the tire is worn below this limit, it's unsafe to drive. Your owner's manual has the direction how to measure tire wear or your mechanic can check your tires for you. This tire in the photo is definitely worn beyond the legal limit. |
Feel vibration at cruising speed? Have your tires balanced. Uneven tire wear indicates alignment problem. Improper alignment causes increased tire and suspension components wear and poor handling. If a car pulls aside, wanders or feels unstable on the road, have the alignment checked. Properly done alignment will make your car's ride a lot more enjoyable.
Tire rotation
Front and rear tires wear at different rate and have different wear pattern. On a typical front-wheel drive vehicle, for instance, the front tires would wear out a lot faster than the rear ones if not rotated regularly. By rotating your tires regularly, you are making sure that your tires wear more evenly and last longer. Some manufacturers recommend to rotate tires at every oil change, others may recommend to do it at different intervals. Tire rotation pattern is also different for different tires. It's best to check your owner's manual or call your local dealer for exact recommendations for your tires. |
Taking care of small concerns in time may save you a lot more
As soon as you feel there is something wrong with your car like any kind of irregular noise, vibration, shimmer, or you note some leak or any warning light comes on while driving or anything that seems to be irregular, have your car inspected at a dealer or a garage as soon as you can, as it might be unsafe to drive. It's definitely better to check any small problem before it will cause something serious. |
Regular mechanical inspection
For your safety, I recommend to have your car inspected regularly, at least once a year, by a mechanic. I mean not just visual inspection by one of the fast lube places, but a mechanic that can lift your car and check major components such as brakes, suspension, etc., while having your tires rotated, for example. This is because many components (e.g. ball joints), can not be inspected visually.
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