Do you make regular maintenance checks on your vehicle?
Those diligent enough to investigate the functionality of their car are few and far between. The RAC found that an astonishing 30% of drivers never make independent checks on their car, relying on an annual MOT & service to catch any issues with the running of the vehicle.
This lack of care for our vehicles seems to be due to ignorance rather than laziness or shortage of time. An overwhelming number of drivers lack confidence in performing a basic car maintenance inspection, from knowing how to make the checks to understanding what the warning signs are. A OnePoll survey published by Study Finds as recently as 2020 suggests that half the drivers in Britain do not even know how to pop the hood of their car, with a whopping one in three motorists unaware of how to put air into their tyres.
Although it may seem like yet another thing to add to your to-do list, monthly maintenance inspections are an essential part of owning a car. Quite apart from making sure that your car is safe to drive, catching small problems early can save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Keeping your car performing at its best increases its lifespan, helps to retain the value of the vehicle, and ensures it is running as efficiently as possible, all of which reduce the cost of running a car.
Save yourself money and hassle and stay safe on the road by performing these three essential car maintenance inspections each month:
Engine Oil And Coolant Level
There is no more sure-fire way to wreck your engine than allowing the oil levels to get too low. Without oil as a protective layer between the parts, the engine will be destroyed. Check your owner’s manual for guidance on the optimum oil level and how often it should be changed. The manual will also outline where the oil is and how to assess the level using the dipstick or an electric gauge. Be aware to only check the oil when the engine is cool.
Lights And Signals
Next time your friends come round, or a family member has a moment to spare, ask for help checking your headlamps, brake lights and indicators. Flick through the different headlight settings while your helper watches from the front to make sure your full beam, fog, and normal lights are working. They can also check for any physical damage to the bulbs. Similarly, ask them to check your indicator and brake lights at the rear of the car. These lights are easy to overlook, and their functionality is essential to safe driving.
Tyre Pressure
Particularly before long journeys or prior to carrying heavy loads, you need to check your tyre pressure. Your car manual will advise the correct pressure for your tyres in a variety of situations. Another important and easy tyre test you should do regularly is examining the depth of the tread, which can be done using just a 20p coin. Tyre tread improves your car’s grip on the road, particularly in wet or icy weather, and it is a legal requirement for the tread to be at least 1.6mm in depth.