Regular Preventative Maintenance
Today’s cars do so much more for us that the ones we drove in the past, but they have also become more complex and they require much more from us in order to run properly and avoid major repairs. While it may seem like a lot of work, staying on top of the little things can help keep your car in tip-top shape so that it’s running well when you need it.
Rotate, Balance, and Properly Inflate Your Tires
Your tires are responsible for so many things, like keeping the vehicle on the road and helping the driver steer. In order to wear evenly and continue gripping the road safely, they need to be properly inflated. If they’re not balanced correctly, they can cause the car to shake, wear unevenly, and put unnecessary wear on other parts of the car, like the suspension and steering systems.
Keep Your Gas Tank Full
Driving with little or no gas in the tank not only leaves you at risk of stranding yourself with a car that won’t start, it can be bad for your vehicle too. Gasoline helps to keep your fuel pump cool, and when it’s running low, the extra friction and heat can wear it out prematurely, costing you a few hundred dollars instead of the few dollars it would have cost to add a few gallons to your tank.
Check Your Spark Plugs
Spark plugs help to ignite the fuel in your engine, but as they wear out, they can produce uneven power, leading to gas leaks, failure in your exhaust system, and extra wear on your engine.
Replace Your Oxygen Sensor
Your car’s O2 sensor helps keep the oxygen intake at the right level, ensuring that the engine is using the correct amount of gasoline. O2 sensors are a big safety feature, and their failure is the number one reason that a check engine light comes on.
Check Your Fluids & Filters
Your vehicle runs on fluids, and in addition to keeping at least ¼ of a tank of gas, you should check your oil levels to keep the engine lubricated, your coolant, your windshield wiper fluid, and check for leaks of any kind of fluid.
Your vehicle also has an air filter and an oil filter, both of which need to be checked and changed regularly.
Repair Your Windshield & Wipers
Chips in the windshield may not seem like a big deal, but a chipped windshield is much more likely to crack than one without chips. Chips and cracks can compromise the structural integrity of the windshield, putting you at risk of injury in a crash.