Basic Car Maintenance Checks You Can Do At Home
Published October 18th, 2017
The amount of money Australians spend every year when they have to take their car in for its service is rather startling. One of the many reasons why a general service can become a major service with added costs, is a lack of maintenance throughout the year.
Now, this doesn’t mean you need to get all greased up with an overall and a screwdriver every week! What we suggest is far simpler – and now you won’t need to be among those thousands and thousands, losing thousands and thousands.
Here are your basic internal and external checks you can do to keep your car in good condition:
- Basic External Checks
It is important to ensure your lights are in good working order. Check that the indicators are working behind and in front, and keep in mind that it’s recommended to perform this quick check every month or two.
It’s also necessary for you to make sure your seatbelts are in good order. Give it a tight, fast yank to ensure it stops effectively. Ensure the seatbelts aren’t worn or cut in any way.
Finally, remember to check your handbrake. At an incline, lift your handbrake and be certain that your car doesn’t roll back. Your handbrake is important, and so are the brakes.
- Basic Internal Checks
Your oil should be checked at least monthly, if not fortnightly. You can do it easily by pulling out the stick and wiping it clean before dipping it in again to see the level of the oil as indicated. Other fluids you should ensure are in good order to ensure your car runs well all the time. These fluids include your brake fluid, power-steering oil, clutch fluid and, of course, your water and windscreen wiper water.
Another often overlooked fluid is the radiator coolant. Check your coolant level every couple of weeks, if you have the time. When the engine is cold, the coolant level mark should be at least above the minimum mark. If there is a noticeable loss of coolant, it could very well indicate that your car may have a more serious problem. You should also check your tyre pressure and pump them with air should they be slightly flat.
If these tips, however basic, are not tips you can imagine doing yourself, then feel free to allow professionals you can trust to perform all these checks for you. Doing it sooner rather than later is key to saving you money, but also key to preventing serious, and even life-threatening car problems. Call ABS Auto on 13 2270 or book an appointment online today!
Related Tag: Car service Melbourne