Maintenance Tips For Your Vehicle

There are a few basic things you can do to help look after your car, remember if you do not look after your vehicle things may go wrong when you least expect it and it can cost 10% more in fuel if your car is not correctly maintained. Your vehicle needs routine checks to be carried out to keep it safe and in good condition, some of this information can be found in your owner’s handbook which you should have received when purchasing you car, checking things like oil, water, fuel and tyres before a long journey are also things you should do.

We looked at the major recovery services statistics and here are the top ten reasons for all four being called out -

The top ten faults
1. Battery (flat or non-servicable)
2. Tyre(s)
3. Clutch 
4. Starter motor
5. Alternator
6. Fuel
7. Lockouts
8. Cylinder head gasket
9. Engine
10. ECU - Engine Management System


Regular services should be carried out by a qualified mechanic and remember if it’s your car it is your responsibility to ensure it is properly maintained and roadworthy, don’t wait for your MOT or a breakdown before you repair it.

• Try to wash your car regularly. Remove any bird droppings as soon as it appears as the content can be harmful to your paintwork.
• Waxing the car once in a while will help to keep the body shiny and free from corrosion.
• DO NOT use washing up liquid as this may be harmful.
• Taking care of any minor concerns as soon as they happen may stop a costly repair bill later on.
• Regularly check the oil level as you need to keep this at the level recommended by the manufacturer, top up when necessary (check with manufacturers guide for type of oil to top up with).
• Try and check the oil level when the engine is cold as this will give you a more accurate reading and make sure you are on level ground; you will find a min and max marker which will help you to get the correct reading on the dipstick.
• DO NOT run the engine when the oil level is below the minimum mark as this can result in damage to your engine,
• DO NOT add so much oil that the level rises above the maximum marker as this will create excess pressure that could damage the engine seals and gaskets.
• Vehicles today use a mixture of water and anti-freeze to make up the engine coolant again you will find a minimum and maximum marker on the coolant header tank (check with your handbook for the exact location).
• The need to top this up regularly may indicate a leak or another fault in the cooling system; therefore you must have a dealer/garage check this for you.
• NEVER remove a radiator or header tank cap when the engine is hot.
• NEVER add cold water to an overheated engine.
• DON'T overfill or the system can blow out the excess water as soon as it warms up.
• Test your brakes every day as soon as you set out, they should not be spongy or slack and the car should not pull to one side this could indicate a problem and must be checked by a mechanic as they are too important to be left. Regular servicing will ensure that your brakes are safe.
• Checking the brake fluid is important also again make sure the level is not below the minimum marker.
• The legal tread depth for tyres on your car is 1.6mm this has to be across the ¾ breadth and the outer circumference there has to be no cuts or bulges.
• Checking your tyre pressure can also make a difference to your fuel consumption this must be done when your tyres are cold to give an accurate reading, use a reliable pressure gauge and again refer to manufacturer’s guidelines for the correct pressure.
• Checking your washer reservoir is vital as you may not know when the level of fluid is low and could result in an unfortunate accident if your view from you’re windscreen becomes restricted and you have no fluid to clean it. 
• ALWAYS have a mixture of screen wash and water in the resevoir as it is less likely to freeze as it it does it could also result in damage to the washer mechanism.
• Always check that your lights are working properly, by using a reflection in a window or garage door etc can help you check the back lights or ask someone to help, you can check your front lights by turning them on and walking around the car.
• Do the same with your hazzard lights by activating them and walking around the car to make sure indicators and side repeaters are working.
• Some modern batteries are maintenance free and are sealed. The terminals should however be clean and secured. When a battery is fitted with a filler cap(s), check the level of the fluid. The plates in each cell should be covered you can top this up with distilled water if necessary but avoid overfilling.

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Winter Checks

To assist in safe driving during the winter periods search2drive recommends that you take your car to a reputable garage for a winter health check this price may vary from garage to garage but the cost in negligible in relation to the safety of the driver and passengers in the vehicle.

The winter check consists of checking the following;

• cooling system
• anti-freeze levels and strength , may top up if necessary
• check brakes
• all lights including number plate lights
• brake fluid
• windscreen and wiper condition
• windscreen washer operation and top up reservoirs
• battery and chagrining system
• tyre condition
• steering
• various other areas for leaks and operation