Automotive

5 Car Maintenance Tips You Need to Know

Key Points

  1. Know your owner’s manual
  2. Get your oil changed on schedule
  3. Check your tires and tire pressure monthly
  4. Replace your windshield wiper blades regularly
  5. Keep your car battery clean

Here are the five important maintenance tips to keep your car in good shape. These tips are basic maintenance items and do not require a lot of intrinsic knowledge.

Know Your Owner’s Manual

Becoming acquainted with the owner’s manual is crucial when getting a new car. Your owner’s manual can usually be found in the glove compartment of your car.

This manual includes a handy section on the maintenance schedule for your car. It will list the manufacturer’s recommended intervals for maintenance on items like your engine oil, oil filter, tire rotation, and more.

What if I Don’t Have an Owner’s Manual?

If you do not have an owner’s manual, be sure to contact your dealer. They should be able to provide you with a copy.

If your dealer cannot do so for some reason, electronic copies of many owner’s manuals can easily be found online. Search for the make, model, and year of your car along with the “owner’s manual” and see what you can find.

What Happens if I Don’t Use My Owner’s Manual?

If you opt not to utilize the owner’s manual, you will find it much harder to stay up to date on the maintenance schedule for your car. In addition, without regular maintenance, it is much more likely that you will miss an issue with your car that could lead to a much more costly repair.

Get Your Oil Changed on Schedule

Regular oil changes are significant for the health of your car’s engine. This is because the parts inside your engine are moving, creating a lot of both friction and heat. Engine oil aims to provide lubrication for all the parts moving against one another.

This is something that the handy maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual can help you with. Follow the guidelines for how often you should get your oil changed to ensure that your engine keeps working as it should.

What if I Don’t Get My Oil Changed on Time?

If you do not get your engine oil changed on time, your engine can suffer severe damage. Contaminants in the oil can lead to friction where parts should be lubricated, or your nice, clean oil can slowly turn into a disgusting, dirty sludge. This causes your engine to work harder than it should, consuming more gas and becoming far less efficient.

Over time, a lack of oil changes could lead to complete engine failure—a much more expensive repair than a routine oil change.

What Kind of Engine Oil Should I Use?

Although not every car requires synthetic oil, synthetic oil is generally better for your engine than conventional oil. However, the most important thing is that you make sure to get your oil changed regularly.

As long as you are up to date on your oil changes and as long as the oil meets the requirements listed in your owner’s manual, you are free to use whichever type of oil you prefer.

Check Your Tires and Tire Pressure Monthly

Your tires are the literal foundation of your vehicle. They are what keeps your car running! Therefore, it’s essential to ensure that your tire pressure stays within the proper range. This lessens the chance of a blown tire.

To find out the correct tire pressure for your car, check your owner’s manual or the sticker on the jamb of the driver’s door.

Checking your tires regularly also ensures that they are wearing evenly, that they are not damaged in any place, and that there is nothing stuck in your wheel wells.

What Happens if I Don’t Check My Tires Monthly?

Without checking your tires regularly, you are far more likely to encounter an issue such as a blown tire or uneven wear. It can also be easy to lose pressure in your tires without realizing it if you are not checking them often.

Keeping your tires correctly pressurized ensures that you will have a smooth ride and maximum fuel efficiency. Just like with the oil in your engine, if your tires are damaged or not properly inflated, your car must work a lot harder to do its job. Checking your tires each month is a simple task to avoid costly damage.

Replace Your Windshield Wiper Blades Regularly

Many people do not think that windshield wipers are not made to last forever. They will typically last six to twelve months, but you may need to change them even sooner, depending on where you live and how often you drive. Visibility on the road is critical to make sure that you drive safely and that both you and your car are safe.

The elements, like dust, snow, and rain, can easily obscure your windshield, and you rely on your wiper blades to clear the way for you. Unfortunately, if your blades are old or damaged, they may not function properly, and conditions can quickly become dangerous on the road.

You can easily find the replacement numbers for your wiper blades in your owner’s manual. In addition, these parts can be purchased at any auto store and easily changed on your own.

What if I Don’t Change My Wiper Blades Regularly?

If you do not change your wiper blades regularly, you risk poor visibility on the road. Damaged blades can do more harm than good, streaking precipitation or dust across your windshield and making it even more challenging to see. They may even scratch your windshield.

Not being able to see while driving makes it much more you will likely to get into an accident and cause even more damage to your car.

Keep Your Battery Clean

Cleaning the corrosion off your car battery every month or two is a simple way to extend the life of your battery. This is a straightforward fix. With a small wire brush and a solution of water and baking soda, you can quickly get rid of the corrosion.

White, blue, or green crusty residue can be a sign of corrosion on the top of your battery and the metal parts that connect it to your vehicle.

What if I Don’t Keep My Car Battery Clean?

Corrosion interferes with the electrical connection and current flow of the battery. The more corrosion there is, the harder it is for your battery to do its job.

A corroded battery can stop your vehicle from typically starting, resulting in you needing to jump your car far more often than necessary. It can also lead to damage to other electrical components of your car, including the air conditioning or the vehicle’s onboard computer. Keeping your car battery clean reduces the chance of you facing such issues and extends the life of your car.

If you have any questions, please ask below!