What to know about vehicle maintenance
In order to avoid potentially costly breakdowns, you should get yourself in the habit of having your vehicle regularly maintained by a mechanic at Top Line Performance, an auto repair shop in Huntington Beach CA, as this will extend the life of your car. Basic routine maintenance can be checked and done yourself as outlined in your owner’s manual, but bigger jobs should be done by an auto repair professional near you.
1. Get acquainted with your Owner’s Manual
All vehicles come with an owner’s manual, which is a thick booklet that is generally stored in the glove box or other storage compartment in your car. If you don’t have a printed copy, electronic versions can usually be found online as well. You can also contact your dealer if any of the above options fail.
With this manual, you can investigate the auto repair maintenance schedule section so as to determine when different parts of your car need to be serviced. Each part has a different interval at which they need to be looked at or replaced, and typical maintenance items include engine oil, filter, belts, and hoses, as well as a tire rotation.
2. Check the engine’s Motor Oil
Your car’s engine relies on oil to operate since it serves as a lubricant to prevent its parts from grinding against each other, which can undermine your engine’s integrity. Changing your motor oil regularly allows you to avoid damage, as oil that hasn’t been changed in a while can accumulate contaminants that can cause friction when other parts rub together.
It is important to use the right type of oil, as different cars require oils with a variety of viscosity requirements, with the particular one required being listed in your owner’s manual.
3. Tires should be checked monthly
One very important part of a car that is often neglected is its tires! Tires should be properly inflated so that they can perform effectively as well as limit their chances of a blowout. Adding air to your tires is easy enough, but how do you determine what tire pressure is desirable? That information would also be located in your owner’s manual or on the inside of the driver’s door jam. It is suggested that you inflate your tires while they are cold in order to get an accurate PSI reading, and you should also check your spare tire’s pressure as you never know when it may come in handy.
4. Inspect all Fluids Regularly
Your car runs on more than just motor oil, including other industrial liquids such as coolant, washer fluid, brake, and transmission fluids.
Transmission fluid is checked similarly to motor oil in that it has a dipstick that tells you the level your fluids are at. Brake fluid, coolant, and washer fluid levels are determined by removing the cap and visually inspecting each. NEVER remove your radiator cap to check your coolant, however, as you could get seriously injured. If you aren’t sure how to go about checking these fluids yourself, do not hesitate to go to auto repair shops in Huntington Beach such as Top Line Performance
5. Check your Belts and Hoses
Inspecting your belts and hoses yourself is going a step beyond basic routine vehicle maintenance, but can absolutely be done. Hoses direct the flow of coolant to the engine so that it doesn’t overheat, so if a hose is loose or cracked, it should be replaced.
When checking the belts of your car, check to see if they show signs of any wear. If a belt is cracking or missing chunks, you need to get it replaced as belts are critical to the operation of your engine.
Additional items to check:
In addition to all the items above, you should regularly check your battery, air filter, and wiper blades. Your car battery should remain corrosion-free to extend its lifetime and should be checked as often as your motor oil. It may need to be replaced once or twice a year. As for wiper blades, if there are streaks on the window or your blades make a screeching sound when operating, it is time for replacements.
Now that you know all about maintaining your vehicle, you are well on your way to ensure that your vehicle stays on the road in top working condition for years to come!
