Cars are an important part of our lives and regularly get us safely to a range of destinations with ease. For your car to keep running and ensure it is in good working order, maintenance and regular checks are important for the car general health.
These checks can spot any potential issues and prevent any major problems before they arise. It is also important to check key areas before setting off on a long journey, as it will be harder to sort them out on the side of the highway. Fixing major issues can be an expensive setback, so there are some simple checks that can be done to prevent long-term issues or major garage bills.
Take a look at some of the ways to check your car over and help keep it in good working order to maintain its reliability.
Check the oil
This is one of the most important aspects of regular car checks. The oil in your car is vital for keeping your car running smoothly and without being this maintained at sufficient levels; your car might begin to run inefficiently.
Checking the oil levels is a relatively easy thing to do, and on most cars, it involves pulling the dipstick out and seeing where the level is. It is important that when checking the oil it is done on the level ground otherwise you will get an inaccurate reading and may end up topping up too much. This is also something to be wary about, as putting too much oil into your car can also have detrimental effects on how the engine runs.
Checking the oil is something that is also completed when you regularly get your car serviced, and garages such as Europa Auto will ensure your car is in excellent running order and provide repair work where necessary. If you are unsure of anything when checking your own oil levels, ask the professionals. They can give you advice and tips on keeping everything running in between services.
Brakes
This isn’t something you usually check yourself due to the location of the car brakes, but if you notice any changes in the braking of your vehicle or that awful screeching noise when you pull up to the lights, you need to see your local auto shop straight away.
Brakes are another important safety aspect of any car and if the brake pads are low or you are having issues with the mechanism, in severe cases, this could be dangerous. Regular services will pick up any issues and professionals will replace any worn or faulty parts to keep the car in top working order.
The tire pressure
Tires keep you on the road, so taking care of them is important. Checking the tire pressure is something that is often at the back of your mind unless you see a vast difference such as a flat. Keeping the tires at the sufficient levels will help to avoid potential issues with fuel efficiency, tire wear and in extreme cases, blowouts. Tire pressure can change depending on the quality of the tire used and also with changes in the temperature.
It is important to keep an eye on the pressure and is vitally important to check them before a long journey, as this could prevent accidents and blowouts on the road. To ensure you maintain the air pressure well, check the tire manufacturers guidelines, as different types of vehicles may require different pressures.
Checking the tire tread
Another aspect of tire care is checking the tread. This tread provides the grip on the road and keeping it at the required level is important especially in wet and icy conditions. If your tread is low, this could lead to accidents if they are not replaced.
Other areas to look out for on tires include bulges in the sidewall as this could indicate a problem. Unnatural wear on the sidewalls could also indicate that the wheels need to be balanced or tire pressure is too low. Tires should be checked on regular services and replaced when needed.
Lights
It’s important to check whether all your lights are in good working order on a regular basis. This is something you may not notice, as when you get into a car, it is sometimes not obvious that you have a bulb out. Headlights, taillights and brake lights are all important and ensuring they function could prevent accidents.
As having a light out is obvious to others, you may also run the risk of getting a ticket from the cops, as this could be dangerous to yourself and others around you. In many vehicles changing a bulb is a simple task but if you need help, ask a professional, and they can replace and fit the bulb and ensure issues such as headlight alignment are correct.
Alignment and tire balancing
When you have your tires replaced, it’s not just a case of taking the old ones off and putting a new one in their place. There is a process of wheel aligning that occurs, and this ensures that your tires last as long as possible without any unnecessary wear. If your alignment is out, then you will start to notice it during a drive. You’ll notice that if you take your hands off the wheel slightly that the car veers and does not remain in a straight-line.
Incorrect alignment and wheel balancing can also mean that cornering and general handling of the car are less responsive and in wet conditions, this could lead to accidents. If your tires are also not balanced corrected, you may feel excessive vibrations in the steering wheel, which is uncomfortable for prolonged periods of time, and your tires will wear down more quickly than normal, in turn, costing you more money each year.
There are many things to check on a regular basis including power steering fluid levels, washer levels and antifreeze and coolant. Each of the above is important for the safe and smooth running of any vehicle but if you need help with any faults or repairs, ask the professionals who can get you back on track.
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