Basic car maintenance checks aren’t just for the OCD types among us. These little checks will keep your car legally approved to be on the road and help you spot and correct small issues, which reduces your risk of an accident, keeps you safe, and helps prevent expensive repairs in the future.
You don’t have to be a mechanic or particularly mechanically-inclined to complete these basic car checks. Not when you’ve got this handy to-do-list right here (you can thank us later).
1. Check your lights
Lights show us where we’re driving in rain, smog, and dwindling light. They also show others where we’re going and tell us if something is low or broken. And all you need to do is turn your lights on. It’s literally that simple.
The DIY car lights test:
- Dashboard lights: Turn your car on and observe any lights alerting you to a problem.
- Headlights: Inspect your high and low beams.
- Signal lights: Flick the indicators on to check if both front and back sets are doing their job.
- Important lights: Test your hazard, brake, parking and reverse lights.
2. Check the fluids
The fluids in your car are essential to the running of your car (much like in your body), and you can check them in your garage with the help of your car’s manual and a dipstick or a digital reader.
DIY car fluids that you need to test:
- Engine oil: Use a dipstick to test the level and top up as needed, but not when the engine is hot.
- Radiator coolant: Most cars have a transparent coolant compartment, with a ‘full’ line so that you can see if a top-up is needed. If the level isn’t visible, unscrew the cap and peek inside to check how full it is.
- Windscreen washer fluid: Pop the hood and look for the washer fluid reservoir, which is usually transparent so that you can view the level and top up as needed. While you’re there, inspect the compartment for cracks or leaks.
Check the power
Batteries tend to be low maintenance and because of this, they’re easily overlooked. That is, until you turn the key and… Nothing. Zip. Nada.
The obvious way to check if your car battery is working is turn your car on. But, the true test is to take a voltage reading, which you do by investing in a reader (like a voltmeter) or letting a mechanic check your battery for you.
How to use a voltmeter:
- Turn your car off.
- Take the battery’s positive terminal cover off.
- Connect the positive lead from the voltmeter to the positive terminal on your battery, and then the negative lead to the negative terminal.
- Check the voltmeter reading: A good reading is between 12.4 and 12.7, and anything out of this range means that you should visit a mechanic to get it sorted.
Check the windscreen
The first thing to check is those chips and cracks. Leaving minor issues to develop and weaken your windscreen could result in a major problem and cause an accident.
Don’t forget about the wipers. Don’t wait until it pours cats and dogs before doing something. A simple spot-check every other week will reveal signs of wear ’n tear and then you can replace them so that you’re prepared for wetter weather.
Check the tyres
If there’s anything at all wrong with your tyres, you could be putting yourself, your passengers and other road users at major risk. There are 2 things to inspect at least once a month: Tread and pressure.
Tyre pressure:
When it comes to tyre pressure, you’ll need to check your car’s manual (or on the sticker on the inside of the driver’s door) for your tyres’ specific pressure. Investing in an air-pressure gauge is a good idea.
Tyre tread:
Use a tread depth gauge to check if you’re approaching the legal limit, which is 1.6mm across the central 3/4s of the tread width and round the circumference. When the tread is worn to this limit, your tyres will struggle to hug the road… Especially in wet driving conditions.
If something’s out of the ordinary, don’t ignore it
While these tips will help you keep your car running smoother and reduce your risk on the road, there are some things that are better left to the professionals, so if you notice something that’s not normal with your baby… Take it to a car mechanic.
Oh, and while we’re helping you avoid expensive costs associated with your car, don’t forget about car insurance. Insurance helps you avoid paying out of your own pocket for accidents and theft. If you shop around and compare quotes from top insurers, you’ll be sure to find budget-friendly cover.
You could, for instance, compare prices and benefits from King Price, who offers decreasing premiums. Your premium will automatically go down every month in line with the depreciating value of your car. To get a quote online in just a few minutes, just click here or you can talk to 1 of their consultants by calling 0860 50 50 50.
Advice on Vehicle Maintenance and Repair https://t.co/EwCKCSrFAj #ArriveAlive pic.twitter.com/PqSb82Hsyy
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) August 30, 2017