The ultimate car maintenance checklist
A SCHEDULE OF PREVENTATIVE TASKS
To maximize the life and performance of your vehicle, here is a list of items you should check depending on the time and season. Some of these parts of your vehicle should be checked regularly, and others only in the long run. Be sure to follow your vehicle’s maintenance schedule and service interval record.
Caring for your car and keeping it in proper running order takes a little bit of effort, but you definitely don’t have to be a mechanical whiz to keep your vehicle running well. The biggest hurdle is being aware of what needs to be done—and how often—for optimal vehicle upkeep. By knowing the basics about what your car needs, and when you should perform routine car maintenance, you’ll ensure that your car is in top-running condition.
As an added bonus, if you can prove that your vehicle has been well maintained, you’ll be able to ask top dollar when it’s time to resell it. And, of course, it’s important to remember that car maintenance costs, while not always cheap, can ultimately help you avoid expensive repairs down the road.
To make it easy to keep track of your car maintenance schedule, we’ve created a simple, downloadable car maintenance checklist to help you keep on top of your automotive maintenance.
SHORT TERM CHECK-UPS
For proper vehicle maintenance, inspect the following:
OIL AND COOLANT LEVELS
Every month, or every few gas fill-ups and especially before any longer road trips, it’s a good idea to get under the hood of your car and inspect both the oil and coolant levels while the engine is cool. Low levels of either can lead to engine problems if left unchecked. Refer to your owner’s manual to locate both on your specific vehicle.
AIR FILTER
Your engine’s air filter is what regulates the air that flows into your engine and helps keep out debris and particulate. By making certain that your air filter is flowing properly, you can improve your fuel efficiency, decrease your emissions, and help ensure the life of your engine. This can be done easily at home, so check your owner’s manual for instructions and how often it needs to be changed.
TIRE PRESSURE AND TREAD DEPTH
Since well-maintained tires are integral to a safe, fuel-efficient ride, make it a habit to visually inspect your tires often. Check the pressure in your tires every month, and before long trips or carrying extra load. Don’t forget the spare. A tire pressure gauge will be needed to check your tire pressure. Also, during the colder months, note that tire pressure drops one pound with every 10 degree decrease in pressure. Your owner’s manual will tell you how much air pressure your tire needs. You can check your tread depth using the simple penny method.
HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE, AND PARKING LIGHTS
It’s important that the lights on your vehicle are properly functioning, but oftentimes it can be easy item to overlook. Once a month, turn on your headlights when you’re parked in front of a flat surface and check that both headlights are working properly and well-positioned. Walk around your car and visually inspect both turn signals and your parking lights. Have a friend stand behind the car while you engage the brakes to be certain that your brake lights are functional.
OIL & FILTER
The motor oil in your vehicle’s engine serves a whole slew of functions: it lubricates the moving parts, helps act as a sealant against debris, cools the engine, reduces wear and tear, and helps prevent engine corrosion. Keeping it clean is vital for good engine health. Depending on your car and what kind of oil you’re using, you may need to change both the oil & oil filter as much as every 3 months or 3000 miles. Many newer vehicles’ owners’ manuals will recommend changing your oil less frequently – often in-between 5,000 and 10,000 miles. Check your vehicle owner’s manual and consult with a professional to be certain what is appropriate for your vehicle.
ROTATE TIRES
Depending on your vehicle alignment, usage, and many other factors, the tread wear patterns on your tires may vary between the front and back tires, or even from one side of the tread to the other. Rotating your tires will help to extend the service life of your tires by more evenly balancing the tread wear, and helping prevent noise and vibration problems.
WAX VEHICLE
Making certain to wax your vehicle every six months after washing it won’t just keep it shiny, it’ll also help to keep both the paint in good shape and reduce the chance of rust. Many irritants such as dust, sand, and salt can build up and environmental factors like ozone and ultraviolet light can cause microscopic damage, but waxing can help minimize this by forming a protective seal to extend your paint’s life.
What is a warranty?
A warranty is a promise, often made by a manufacturer, to stand behind its product or to fix certain defects or malfunctions over a period of time. The warranty pays for any covered repairs or part replacements during the warranty period.
Tips To Avoid Warranty Issues
Here’s how to get the most out of your vehicle’s warranty:
- Read your warranty. Often bundled with your owner’s manual, the warranty gives a general description and specific details about your coverage. If you have misplaced your owner’s manual, look for it online. Check the “Owners” section of your manufacturer’s website.
- Be aware of your warranty period. If problems arise that are covered under the warranty, get them checked out before the warranty expires.
- Service your car at regular intervals. This is a good idea in any case. But for the sake of keeping your warranty intact, follow the manufacturer’s recommended service schedule. Details are in your owner’s manual.
- Keep all service records and receipts, regardless of who performs the service. This includes oil changes, tire rotations, belt replacement, new brake pads, and inspections. Create a file to keep track of repairs; it will come in handy if you have to use your warranty. If you ever have a warranty claim and it appears that you did not maintain your vehicle, your claim could be denied.
- Complain. If you think a dealer’s service advisor denied your warranty claim unfairly, ask to speak with a supervisor. If you still aren’t satisfied, contact the manufacturer or go to another dealer. You also may wish to file a complaint with your state Attorney General, local consumer protection office, or the FTC.
Common mistakes that can cause damage to your vehicle
As a proud car owner, you want your vehicle to last as long as possible. In looking after it, the first rule is ‘do no harm’. Here are some blunders to avoid:
Riding your brakes down a long hill
Brake pads wear faster when they heat up, and a sure way to get them super-hot is to ride them all the way down a long hill. A better method is to alternate between braking and letting off the brake.
This is much easier on your brake pads, which won’t keep you safe if they’re worn down to nothing.
Using a pressure washer on your engine
Pressure washers are great for cleaning the grime off your concrete driveway – but not so great for cleaning your car engine, which is a complex piece of equipment with all sorts of small wires, sensors and components.
A high powered jet of water can dislodge electrical bits, hoses and rubber seals in an instant, and is simply a bad idea.
A few rags and some degreaser fluid is all you really need to clean a grimy engine and you probably only have to do this once or twice a year.
Forgetting to change your oil
This must be the most common mental lapse for car owners – leaving their oil change until the engine’s lubricant looks something like sludgy black molasses.
Old engine oil does your car no good at all, so you should change your oil as often as your car manual suggests (and this frequency varies between models). And don’t forget to change the oil filter now and then too.
Neglecting to use the parking brake
Whether you’re parked on a steep hill or reasonably flat ground, you should always use the parking brake.
Aside from obvious safety reasons, using the park brake takes the strain off your transmission — which is not designed to hold your car steady. Something as simple as getting into the habit of using your park brake can potentially add years to the life of your car.
Ignoring those funny sounds
If you let it, your car can talk to you. And if you listen carefully, you can work out what it’s trying to say. That squeak every time you open the passenger door means you need to oil the door hinges. That thumping sound can mean a loose exhaust pipe.
That whining noise can indicate a worn transmission. And that high-pitched squeal you hear when you put on the brakes is serious — it’s a sure sign your brake pads need replacing. Always listen to your car — it will often give you a clue when something isn’t working right.
Shifting from Reverse to Drive before you’ve come to a full stop
What’s one of the best ways to add months of unnecessary wear to your transmission within just a few seconds? It’s by being in too much of a hurry and switching from Reverse to Drive (or vice versa) while your car is still slowly moving.
You’re basically putting an incredible amount of strain on your gears by asking them to perform the same function as a brake. This can lead to a worn transmission, damaged drive shafts and sloppy suspension handling.
Be patient during the break-in period
You’ve bought your dream car and now you want to make it last as long as possible in top condition. Here are some things to remember as you pull it out of the dealer’s lot:
- During the break-in period, typically the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km), keep your speed under 55 mph (88 kpm) or to the speed recommended by your car’s manufacturer.
- Avoid heavy loads on the drive train, such as towing trailers, and loading the roof rack or trunk with heavy construction materials.
- Do not allow your new car to idle for long periods—this is good advice for the life of your car, but especially during break-in. The oil pressure generated by doing so may not be sending oil to every part of your engine.
- Use only light to medium acceleration, keeping the engine rpms below 3,000 for the first few hours of driving.
Drive with care every day
Being car considerate shouldn’t stop after the break-in. Drive with care every day and your car will reward you with longer intervals without repair.
- Do not race your car’s engine during start-up. This is a quick way to add years of wear to your engine, especially if it’s cold outside.
- Accelerate slowly when you begin your drive. The most wear to the engine and drive train occurs in the first 10 to 20 minutes of operation.
- Warming the engine by letting it idle in the driveway is not a smart idea. The engine doesn’t operate at its peak temperature, resulting in incomplete fuel combustion, soot deposits on cylinder walls, oil contamination, and ultimately damaged components.
- Put less strain on your engine and automatic transmission by shifting to neutral at red lights. Otherwise, the engine is still working to push the car even while it’s stopped.
- Avoid driving at high speeds and accelerating quickly, especially when it’s very hot or very cold outside. Such driving behavior will result in more frequent repairs.
- Extend the life of your tires with careful driving. Observe posted speed limits. Avoid fast starts, stops, and turns. Avoid potholes and objects on the road. Don’t run over curbs or hit the tire against the curb when parking. And, of course, don’t burn rubber.
- When turning your steering wheel, don’t hold it in an extreme right or left position for more than a few seconds. Doing so can damage the power-steering pump.
- Consolidate your short driving
trips. Most of the wear and tear—as well as the pollution your car
generates—takes place in the first few minutes of driving. Doing several
errands at once, during low traffic hours if possible, will keep your engine
happier longer
