Remember that small problem need immediate attention as they can turn into a big one in no time. No matter the type of vehicle you drive, it needs regular maintenance.
Your car is actually a sophisticated machine made up of many mechanical and electrical parts. You can compare your vehicle with your own body. Just like you need regular exercise, healthy and balanced diet, and good sleep to keep your body fit, your car also requires regular maintenance and care.
When it comes to maintenance of your car there are many things that you, as a car owner should be doing. To make it easier, we have decided to create a checklist that can help the car owners keep their vehicle in top shape.
Car Maintenance Checklist
After every 3-5 months or 3,000 – 5,000 miles
- Oil Change: Changing the engine oil is probably the most important part car maintenance. You should do it before or on time. Oil should be changed after 3 months or if you have driven the vehicle for 3000 miles. Other than that, you should also keep an eye on the oil light, if your engine starts to make weird noises or the temperature of engine runs hot.
After every 6-8 months or 6000-8000 miles
- Tire Rotation: Check the tires for uneven rotation. Also, this is the time when you should get your car inspected by a qualified mechanic even if there is nothing noticeably wrong with the vehicle.
Annually or after every 15000 miles
- Air conditioning: It is time to check thoroughly the air conditioning system of your car. Look for warning signs like strange odor coming out from the vent when you turn the AC on. Is your AC sufficiently cooling your car? When you turn on the AC, is it overheating your engine? Or are there any strange noises?
- Wheel alignment: You need wheel alignment when you have you recently changed your tires or when your tire becomes noisy. The other warning signs may include bubbling in the tires or your steering not being in level when traveling on a straight path
After every 2 years or 30,000 miles
- Brake Check: Brakes generally wear out in two years. If the brake pedal feels too soft or becomes hard to press on cold weather, you should immediately get your braking system inspected.
- Coolant System: After every two years, you need to be extra careful about the coolant system. Keep an eye on the temperature indicator – check if your engine is overheating. Also, make sure to check the coolant level and observe its color. If it’s turning brown, it indicates that inside of the radiator might be getting rusty.
- Transmission Fluid: This is the time when you should change the transmission fluid – more commonly known as the gear oil.
- Fuel System Check: After every two years, the engine tends to misbehave. If you are observing things like loss of power, drop in the acceleration, engine knock ups, etc, you should consult a qualified mechanic.
- System Diagnostics: Most auto repair or lubrication businesses have a diagnostic checkup, which can be used to help you identify any vehicle system errors that have been logged. While many are maintenance related, others error codes need to be immediately addressed.
The Maintenance Bottom Line
This checklist also identifies some common warning signs, however your particular car may begin to show some problems earlier (or later) than those prescribed here.. So, keep those warning signs in mind and book an appointment with a mechanic as soon as possible.
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