While most car owners take pride in keeping their vehicles spick and span, many ignore what goes on under the hood. With so many moving parts, cars need regular maintenance checks to run smoothly, safely, and efficiently.
Below, we explore 10 basic car maintenance tips every driver should know.
Why Are Regular Car Maintenance Checks Important?
Maintenance checks matter because cars are complex machines with hundreds of moving parts. Over time, these parts wear down. Routine checks help get them back into shape and avoid further damage or, worse, serious accidents.
With routine maintenance checks, you help extend your car’s lifespan, protect your wallet, and keep you and your passengers safe on the road.
How Often Should You Perform Maintenance Checks On Your Car?
Some parts need more attention than others, so the answer to this question isn’t straightforward. How often a car should go in for maintenance comes down to its make, model, and year.
Oftentimes, your owner’s manual will provide a maintenance schedule that’s tailored to your specific car’s needs. Aside from this, manuals also give valuable insight into:
- Fuel and fluid specifications
- Tire care essentials
- A guide to the symbols on your dashboard
- Warranty information
What Maintenance Does a Car Need?
Every car owner should know these 10 essential vehicle maintenance tips, regardless of whether they’re included in their owner’s manual:
1. Check and Change Your Oil
Most mechanics will tell you that oil is a vehicle’s lifeblood. Oil provides both lubrication and insulation, protecting your engine’s parts from heat and friction.
To check oil levels, pop the hood and pull the dipstick out of its housing. There are two lines on a dipstick, a higher one marked “full” and a lower one marked “add.” The “add” line indicates that the oil level is a quart low. You want your oil to be at least between the high and low lines.
After you refill the oil tank, wait a few minutes for the oil to fill into the crankcase, wipe the dipstick clean with a rag, and reinsert it into the tank to check the levels again.
Aside from levels, also check the quality of your oil. Clean oil is smooth and has a clear amber colour, while dirty oil looks gritty and dark. Oil that’s contaminated with coolant will sometimes appear milky.
Check your oil at least once a month and before long trips. Change your oil every 5,000 to 7,000 km, depending on your engine’s model and the type of oil it needs.
2. Keep an Eye on Fluid Levels
Aside from oil and gas, your car relies on a handful of other fluids to run smoothly. This includes:
- Engine coolant or antifreeze: This fluid absorbs engine heat, keeping your car from overheating. Check coolant levels at least once a month.
- Power steering fluid: This pressurized fluid makes it easier to steer your car. If your steering feels extra loose or stiff, then it’s time to check your fluids. Check your power steering fluid at least four times a year or before long trips. This fluid is typically replaced every two to three years.
- Brake fluid: Hydraulic brakes rely on brake fluid to work properly. If you experience any kind of delay, stiffness, or a “spongy” feeling when braking, you should check whether the fluid is low or has been contaminated with water. Contaminated brake fluid tends to be dark and cloudy. Some manufacturers recommend bleeding your brake system every five years or so.
- Transmission fluid: This fluid provides lubrication to your transmission set. Uncontrollable surging or noises when shifting gears are signs that your transmission fluid is leaking. Some manufacturers recommend replacing transmission fluid every two years.
- Windshield washer fluid: While seemingly low on the priority list, washer fluid allows you to clean your windshield when it gets grimy, helping you see better when you drive.
3. Maintain Tire Health
The fact that nobody likes to change a flat tire should be reason enough to look after your wheels. But blowouts are just the tip of the iceberg. Poorly maintained tires can lead to skidding, loose steering, reduced traction, and improper alignment.
To avoid all of these issues, follow this simple tire maintenance checklist:
- Check air pressure: Proper tire pressure doesn’t just keep you safe; it improves fuel efficiency, too. The recommended tire pressure (measured in pounds per square inch or PSI) for your vehicle is found in the owner’s manual and on the placard in the driver’s side door jamb. Check your tire pressure at least once a month.
- Inspect tire tread: Worn tire treads lead to poor traction and handling, as well as longer stopping distances. Check your tire tread at least once a month. To check for wear, look for the tread wear bars in the grooves between tread markings. When the tread is worn to the point where it’s level with the wear bars, it’s time to replace your tires.
- Rotate your tires: Rotating your tires every 10,000 km or so helps keep the tread wear uniform and improves fuel efficiency.
- Balance your tires: Always have new tires installed by a professional. This ensures your tires are balanced and your car won’t veer to the side due to misalignment. If you do feel your car pulling excessively to one side or notice increased wear on one side, take your car in for realignment.
- Mind the spare: Don’t forget to maintain your spare tire too. At least once a month, check if it’s inflated to the correct air pressure and look out for cracks or pores in the rubber.
As the days get colder, make sure to prepare your car for winter by switching to winter tires. These are made of softer rubber with a more aggressive tread that filters slush away. Winter tires keep you safe when the roads get icy. Plus, insurers often give discounts to drivers who use winter tires.
4. Check Your Brakes
Test and check your brakes regularly to avoid potential accidents. Thin brake pads (about 1 ⁄ 8 inch thick) and scored rotors are tell-tale signs that your brakes need servicing. Other signs to watch out for are squeaking noises, your car pulling to one side, and a burning smell when braking. These are signs that you have sticky brake callipers.
Get your brakes inspected every 20,000 km or once a year.
5. Perform a Battery Inspection
Unless you know how to boost car batteries and have the equipment, a dead battery can leave you stranded for hours.
One of the biggest perpetrators of dead and damaged batteries is extreme temperatures. High heat makes battery fluid evaporate quickly, causing it to discharge. Cold weather, on the other hand, can increase internal resistance and affect a battery’s ability to hold a charge. Freezing temperatures can also warp or crack a battery’s casing and compromise the integrity of internal components.
Car batteries last about four years when used consistently. But if you live in an area that’s prone to bad weather, be sure to check your battery every six months. Make a visual before long trips or during extreme weather conditions as well.
6. Test Your Windshield Wipers
If you’re caught out in a rainstorm or blizzard, you won’t get very far with dirty or damaged wipers.
To inspect your windshield wipers, lift the arm off the glass and feel along the rubber edge for chips and tears. Next, check if they’re properly aligned with the windshield. Wipers should lay flat on the glass without leaving any gaps.
Turn on your wipers and observe if they leave any streaks or if they skip or drag across the windshield. These could be indicative of problems with the wiper blades or arms. At this point, it’s best to take your car in for an inspection.
7. Inspect Your Filters
Your car has two critical types of air filters: the engine air filter and the cabin filter.
The engine air filter stops dirt and debris from contaminating your engine. Once a year, take the filter out of its housing and hold it up against a light source. If you can’t see any light coming through the filter, this means it’s due for a replacement.
The cabin filter keeps smog, dust, pollen, and other pollutants out of the cabin. You’ll know your cabin air filter is busted if you can smell a musty odour or hear whistling noises whenever you turn your AC on.
Your owner’s manual should have a guide for when and how to replace your filters.
8. Give Your Car a Good Wash
Keeping your car clean is more than just about looking good. It protects the paint, trim, and other exterior components from damage caused by dirt, debris, and corrosion. Bird droppings, tree sap, and road salt are corrosive, and leaving them on your car for too long can damage your paint job and cause rusting.
A clean car is also a safe car. Grimy windows and mirrors make it harder to see your surroundings, especially when driving at night. As a rule of thumb, make it a point to wash your vehicle — both inside and out — every two weeks.
9. Maintain Your Belts
Your engine and cooling systems rely on several belts and hoses to run well. These include:
- Serpentine belt: Also known as the drive belt, this rubber belt transfers power from the engine to different components such as the alternator, power steering pump, and AC compressor.
- Timing belt: This belt maintains the synchronization of the engine’s crankshaft and camshafts, ensuring good engine performance and power.
- Radiator hoses: These help regulate your engine’s temperature. Cracked radiator hoses can lead to coolant leaks and overheating.
- Heater hoses: These rubber hoses provide heating for the cabin and are essential in cold weather.
Check and replace belts and hoses every 50,000 km or two to three years.
10. Check Your Spark Plugs
Spark plugs create tiny jolts of electricity that ignite your engine and help it run. Over time, spark plugs can go bad or become “fouled” due to oil or carbon buildup. These are some signs your spark plugs need attention:
- Your car has trouble starting or jerks upon ignition
- You consume more fuel than usual
- Your car has trouble accelerating
- Your engine starts misfiring
- Your idling sounds rough
If you encounter any of these symptoms, take your car to a mechanic immediately.
Below is a visual checklist detailing every single car maintenance tip mentioned above. You can save it for your reference.
Where Should You Bring Your Car in for Maintenance?
You can have your car serviced at either the dealership you purchased your vehicle from or at an independent mechanic.
Dealer technicians typically charge more for maintenance and repairs than independent mechanics. But the pros often outweigh the cons. For one, dealers have access to your car’s history, as well as any records of recalls associated with your car’s parts. Second, dealership warranties usually cover the cost of production-related defects.
Independent mechanics, on the other hand, have lower overhead fees and can provide services at a fraction of the cost of getting a car serviced at a dealership. However, there’s no guarantee that a local garage will have all the parts or equipment needed to get your car back in shape.
At the end of the day, where to bring your car in for maintenance is a personal decision based on your priorities.
Does Car Insurance Cover Maintenance?
Traditional car insurance does not cover the cost of maintaining a vehicle. What insurance does cover is the cost of repairs. Still, this will depend on the type of insurance you own. Comprehensive insurance only covers damages caused by nature, theft, and vandalism. Collision insurance covers damages incurred in an accident involving a collision with another vehicle.
Key Advice from MyChoice
Now that we’ve covered the ten tips for taking care of your car, here’s some extra advice to ensure your car stays in top shape:
- Regular car maintenance keeps your car in tip-top shape and helps you avoid unnecessary repair costs and accidents.
- While having your car serviced at a dealership might seem costly, you can rely on them to have the knowledge and equipment to get your car back into shape.
- Factor maintenance into the total cost of owning a car, as auto insurance rarely covers maintenance fees.