Tips for Maintaining Your Vehicle

Tips for Maintaining Your Vehicle

Tips for Maintaining Your Vehicle

Car maintenance is an essential way of preventing future car problems. During our current economic situation, every little bit can help to save you money, and vehicle troubles tend to add up very quickly. Maintaining a regular vehicle maintenance schedule is important, but there are things that you can do personally to ensure that your car won't break down, leaving you with a bill for both a tow truck and repairs that could be in the thousands of dollars. Here are a few tips to help you maintain your car.

Pay attention to your brakes. Brake pads are equipped with noise making devices that will begin to sing if the pads wear too thin. If you hear a high pitched squealing when you apply pressure to the brakes, your pads need to be relined. If you start to hear a grinding sound when you brake, the rotor has been damaged and you're already in for costly repairs.

Pay attention to your tires. Rotating and balancing your tires at proper intervals is much more important than just fuel efficiency. Your tires are the point at which your vehicle makes contact with the road; so if they are in poor condition, the traction of your vehicle is not optimum. Many factors outside of neglect can attribute to tires prematurely wearing. Sunlight, ozone condition and temperature pay significant roles in the lifespan of your tires. A monthly check is needed to ensure that your tires are safe for travel.

Change your air filter. Air filters do much more than promote fuel economy. They allow clean air to pass into the combustion chamber in your engine. If they are not clean, they can allow dirt and other particles to flow into your engine and build inside. This build up of material can damage the precision parts of your engine and impede proper combustion.

Change your oil. Make sure that your oil is changed frequently. Heat builds up on the inside of your engine. This heat produces friction that can severely damage the moving parts of your engine. Oil is needed to properly lubricate and protect your engine from the heat. Most people think it's pretty easy to perform an oil change yourself and, in fact, it is. But when you compare the time lost and the cost of materials and the disposal of oil, it may be cheaper simply to shell out the 20 dollars to have it done professionally.

Make sure that your gas cap is secure. This is a very common problem among many drivers. If your gas cap is loose, then air can enter your fuel tank and throw of the mix inside of your engine. This can greatly affect your fuel efficiency and cause damage to parts of your engine by letting unfiltered air inside. It may even be the reason for a check engine light coming on. Always make sure that your gas cap is secure before driving.

If you can't see out of your windshield, then you shouldn't be driving. That's why it's important to maintain your windshield wiper blades and take care of chips and cracks. Don't ignore small cracks as they can quickly become larger under the air pressure exerted on your windshield while driving. Most home repair kits and professionals can easily fix a 6 inch crack. But once you pass the 6 inch mark, you may be looking at a full replacement of the windshield.

Use the right fuel grade. Check your owner's manual for the fuel grade appropriate for your vehicle. Higher octane fuels do not provide greater power or mileage. They are for higher performance engines. Using a higher grade fuel than specified for your model vehicle can damage your engine by exerting too much force inside the combustion chamber.

Always stay within the allotted timetable set up for regular maintenance. This will keep your overall cost low and ensure that you never need towing services.

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