General Car Repair and Maintenance Tips

Expensive car repairs are often the fault of the….owner. Engine failure and major problems with your car’s transmission, cooling system or other critical parts are the result of not maintaining them properly. Why deal with a sudden expense when you can save a lot more with a general car service. Refer to your car’s logbook to know when and how often to service your car.

Your local auto mechanic may offer different types of car service. A general car service usually includes the following:

• Oil check and change
• Tyre pressure
• Tyre tread and wear
• Light inspection
• Battery maintenance
• Brake check

A major or full service involves a comprehensive check, done every 2-3 years. It may offer all the above services and extras such as air conditioning system inspection, radiator and coolant hose check, and an electrical components test, among others. General car repair and maintenance needs to be done more often so your car’s performance, safety and fuel-efficiency continue meeting your expectations.

Fluid Level Checks: DIY or General Car Service at a Local Mechanic

Your car has five essential fluids that keep it running smoothly and safely. Checking and refilling these fluids is part of a general car service. You can check your owner’s manual for specific instructions or have a local car mechanic check the fluids levels.

Coolant: The coolant or antifreeze prevents the engine from overheating.The coolant reservoir has the minimum and maximum levels marked. If you’re running low on coolant, top up carefully as antifreeze is poisonous and may damage your car’s paintwork if you happen to spill it. Refer to your owner’s manual for the specific antifreeze your car requires.

Power steering fluid: If you run low on power steering fluid, you’ll have a hard time controlling your car around corners and curves. Check the level markings on the power steering fluid reservoir in the engine bay. Top it up carefully to avoid overspilling. If the levels keep dropping frequently, check for leaks.

Brake fluid: Low brake fluid can indicate a leak and make the brakes mushy or hard to stop, creating a safety risk. Over time, the brake fluid can also absorb water from air and cause a rust build-up on brake lines. Unscree the screw cap on the brake fuel reservoir to check the fluid level. Add fluid till it reaches about half an inch from the cap. If you notice dark or cloudy brake fluid, replace it. Replace the brake fluid completely every two years as part of general car maintenance.

Transmission fluid: Many modern cars come with ‘lifetime transmission fluid’ that never require changing. However, old, burnt or contaminated transmission fluid can damage the components within the transmission. Your transmission may jerk, hesitate or shift rough/hard. If your car has a dipstick or access plugs to check the transmission fluid, you can inspect its level and colour. If not, have a local auto expert handle this task for you.

Windshield washer fluid: This is the ‘liquid detergent’ for your windshield, keeping it clean and allowing you to get a clear view of the road. The windshield washer fluid reservoir is identifiable with a blue or yellow lid. Remove the cap or dipstick (depending on what your vehicle has) to top up the fluid.

Oil Check and Change

The engine oil lubricates the moving parts of the engine, preventing damage to them and helping the engine function smoothly. There is a dipstick in the engine bay that has minimum and maximum indicators showing the amount of oil in your engine. Turn off the engine and remove the dipstick and wipe it with an old cloth. Then put it back in and remove it once again. Check the oil on the dipstick is at the maximum level. If not, add more engine oil. Check the colour of the oil: a yellow or amber colour is normal; black colored oil points to a soot build-up and must be changed; and a milky hue indicates that coolant has leaked into the engine.

Checking Tyre Pressure

The correct tyre pressure distributes the weight of your car evenly across the tyre’s tread pattern. This gives you get the best possible control of your vehicle and helps optimise fuel efficiency. For proper grip, steering and stopping, it is important to check the tyre pressure once a month. It is not worth driving around with under-inflated tyres, so make sure you perform this general car maintenance task or drive to a local car mechanic.

Tyre pressure is measured in pounds per square inch (PSI). The minimum requirements are specified on a placard inside the driver’s door. You can also check the owner’s manual for the correct pressures, which can be different for the front and rear tyres. An increase in temperature or pressure can reduce the pressure in tyres. Consider adding 2 psi to the manufacturer’s recommended tyre pressures for long distance driving in the afternoon or early evening hours.

Warm or hot tyres can give inaccurate pressure readings. Check the tyre pressure when the tyres are cold, that is, before you’ve driven your car on that day. You’ll need a tyre pressure guage to check readings. If you don’t have one, buy a mechanical or digital pressure gauge at your local motot accessory store. They’re quite inexpensive and give accurate readings.

Here’s how you can check your tyre pressure and change it to the correct level:

Locate the typre placard and note the recommended tire inflation pressures for your car.

Unscrew the cap on your tyre’s air valve. The valve keeps air inside if the air valve happens to leak, and keeps debris out.

Push the pressure gauge down firmly on the valve stem.

Check the pressure reading on the gauge.

If you get a low reading, connect the air hose to the tire valve and adjust pressure to the correct level.

Put the cap back on to the air valve.

Tyre Tread and Wear

A minimum tread depth of 1.6mm is the legal requirement. However, you should avoid waiting for your car’s tyres to wear down to this minimum allowable limit. As a rule, change tyres at about 3mm of tread. Also check for other signs of wear and tear to the tyres. After all, tyre care ensures safety when you accelerate quickly or brake hard to avoid a potentially dangerous situation on the road.

Inspection of Brake Lights and Headlights

The condition of your headlights and brake lights also determine if your car is roadworthy. Driving around with a broken brake light or defective headlight/one headlight out can earn you demerit points and attract a fine. You can check the brake lights by yourself at night – back up close to a wall and see the glow of both lights in the wall. Any issues can be traced to a blown fuse, burned out bulb, dirty bulb socket or a malfunctioning brake light switch. Your local mechanic should be able to diagnose the problem or point you to it during a general car repair.

Battery Maintenance

Your car batteries’ terminals can corrode over time. Keeping them clean can help extend their life. Prepare a mixture of baking powder and water. Use an old toothbrush to scrub the terminals and rinse with spray gun containing cold water. Then wipe thoroughly with a clean cloth. Replace the car batteries every four years to maintain driving safety and reliability.

Brake Check

The harder you step on your brakes, the firmer they should feel. Your car should not pull to one side on braking. If your brake pads are worn out, they will squeal or screech when engaged. Also check your car’s hand brake with this simple test:

• Drive up to the top of a hill.
• Put the car in neutral and roll it down the incline.
• Engage the parking brake.
• If your doesn’t stop immediately, step on the foot brake.

Any problems with the foot or parking brake needs to immediate attention. Rather that waiting to fix the problem at your next general car service in Eight Mile Plains, visit your local mechanic for a thorough safety inspection.

In summary, make routine car maintenance a priority to get more out of your trusty vehicle. Do the basic checks at home but definitely have an auto expert perform repairs, replacements and fluid top-ups. With good care, your car will need few, if any, major repairs and last more than 240,000 kilometres.