10 Important Car Maintenance Tasks Not to Overlook

Many of us are guilty of letting our car maintenance schedule slide, postponing oil changes and tire checks until next week, time and time again. However, undertaking simple routine car maintenance tasks yourself or routinely taking your car to a mechanic could potentially save you thousands of dollars in the long run, improving your vehicle’s functionality and safety, extending its life span, and preventing breakdowns. This article looks at 10 simple yet important car maintenance tasks that will keep your car running safely, smoothly, and more economically.

1. Check the Tires

If tires are not inflated to the correct pressure, this can accelerate tread wear, affecting handling and increasing fuel consumption. You can identify the correct tire pressure for your vehicle by checking either your owner’s manual or the frame of the driver’s side door. Tire checks should be carried out at least every three months, as well as before long trips and when your vehicle will be carrying extra load.

When checking tire pressure, also inspect tread depth using the penny test. Moreover, it is advisable to have a mechanic rotate your tires annually, measuring the pressure of each tire to help ensure even wear.

2. Change the Oil

Performing regular oil changes is an investment in terms of both time and money that will pay off in the long run. Oil is a vehicle’s lifeblood, drawing heat away from the engine’s combustion chamber, keeping components running smoothly, and preventing varnishes and carbon from accumulating in the engine. Dirty engine oil is the nemesis of today’s high-tech engines, making regular oil changes more important than ever.

3. Monitor Brake Pads

Monitor your brake pads, and change them when they become worn. Have a mechanic inspect them every 60,000 miles, and take the car in if you hear screeching noises when you brake.

The braking system is the most important safety feature in any vehicle. Without proper maintenance, the brakes will not function effectively.

4. Check Fluid Levels

Checking car fluids should only take a few minutes, but it is an incredibly important step. In addition to regularly checking oil levels, check transmission fluid, brake fluid, battery fluid, and coolant. By spending just a few minutes checking all of these levels, you can significantly improve your vehicle’s performance.

5. Check the Lights

This is a step that many of us overlook, but it is important to carry out periodic checks, ideally once a month, to ensure that all of your vehicle’s lights are functioning properly. To test the headlights, park in front of a flat wall, and inspect both headlights to ensure they are well-positioned and working properly. You can also check the parking lights and turn signals by walking around the vehicle.

To test your brake lights, engage your brakes while a friend is standing behind your vehicle, ensuring that the lights are functioning properly.

6. Change Filters

Clean filters promote the flow of clean air around your engine, helping it to run better, thereby increasing performance and fuel efficiency. Consult your owner’s manual to determine how often you should change your filters. However, note that this depends greatly on weekly mileage and where you drive. For example, if you live in an area with a lot of dust or heavy traffic, you will need to change the filters more frequently.

7. Change Wiper Blades

Changing the windshield wiper blades is a simple, essential part of car maintenance. No one enjoys listening to screeching wipers or having streaks across their windshield. Mechanics recommend changing out wiper blades every spring and fall.

8. Replace Spark Plugs

Spark plugs ignite the air and gas mixture within the engine, giving your vehicle power. The engine will lose power if your car’s spark plugs fail. It is important to periodically check and replace faulty spark plugs, particularly if you detect an unexplained decrease in engine power.

9. Monitor Belts and Hoses

Belts and hoses are integral to the proper function of the engine’s charging, cooling, and air-conditioning systems. Composed of flexible rubber, hoses absorb vibrations encountered while driving. Rubber is prone to perishing, particularly in extremes of cold or heat, limiting the lifetime of belts and hoses.

With no set timeline as to when they should be changed, belts and hoses are often overlooked until they give out. The serpentine belt is particularly important, as it controls just about everything within the engine compartment. If this fails, you will not be going anywhere anytime soon. Mechanics recommend changing the serpentine belt every two years as a protective measure.

10. Check the Battery

The battery supplies power to the starter motor, the engine, and every other electronic accessory found in a modern car. Extreme temperatures can impact car batteries significantly. Telltale signs of a failing battery include dimmer lights than usual, battery warning lights coming on, and problems getting the car started. Don’t ignore these early indicators, and check your battery routinely to ensure it is working properly, since without it, the car will not start.