You don’t have to be a car enthusiast to know about your car. In fact, basic knowledge of good car maintenance will make your car last longer, run smoother, you’ll save money, and it will help keep you and your family safer. With June being National Safety Month, it’s a good time to make sure you’re following these five basic car maintenance guidelines.
FIVE Basic Car Maintenance Guidelines
Change your oil every 5,000 to 7,000 miles
Regular oil changes can keep the engine running smoothly. Since most cars use synthetic oil, this doesn’t need to be changed as often. Check your car’s instruction manual to see the how often you should do an oil change as suggested by the manufacturer (and not according to what they put on that sticker in the upper left corner last time). Use this opportunity to top off other fluids and to check the condition of your air filter.
Replace your headlight bulbs before burning out
Many people only think about changing their headlight bulbs when one burns out. That’s too late. Headlight bulbs dim over time, meaning you have less visibility at night and run the risk of not seeing obstacles soon enough to avoid them — SCARY! So make sure to change these every so many years. Also, you should replace the bulbs in both headlights for even lighting. If you’re not sure how to do it yourself, check out this video tutorial.
You may want to consider using SYLVANIA SilverStar® ULTRA headlights. Within the product line, these headlight bulbs offer the brightest downroad light, more clarity to increase side road and peripheral visibility, and they emit a whiter light for greater contrast of objects. The SilverStar Ultra headlight also provide superior night vision.
Check the tires regularly
Only a small portion of each tire actually makes contact with the ground. So, you obviously want to maximize that space through good tire care (essential when turning, on inclines, or braking). Periodically, check the air pressure and fill as needed. Have the tires rotated and balanced for even tire wear. Have the shop peek at your brake pads at the same time so you’ll know when it’s time to replace those. If your car veers to the left or right when you take your hands off the wheels, you might be due to have your tired aligned.
Keep on eye on the tire tread (raised surfaces on the outside of the tire) to see when your tires need to be replaced using the “penny” trick. I’ve been meaning to do a full post on this but, in the meantime, just insert a penny with the head going in first. If you can still see the tip of the head sticking out, then it’s time to replace the tires.
Don’t procrastinate with scheduled tune-ups
Your manual will outline your scheduled services for you. Make sure to follow those mile thresholds so your belts, cables, spark plugs, etc. are performing how they should be. Better to be safe than sorry and pay for the maintenance now instead of having to deal with the big bucks of damage when something breaks later on. Oh, and don’t ignore those dashboard warning lights either! It could just be a setting that has to be fixed or it could be a sign of something serious.
Change out the windshield wipers
When your wipers start to leave streaks on your windshield, it’s time to get new ones. Of course, this is especially true during the rainy season, but you actually need a clear view of the road at all times. Pollen, dirt, and bugs will need to be cleaned off in between car washes using the windshield washer fluid and wipers. But, streaks left from worn out wipers can obstruct your view and, if the sun is shining directly on them, can even momentarily blind you.
Why Every Woman Should Care
Whether we are driving our cars to work, to school, on vacation, while doing errands, or to escort the kids to school and their extracurricular activities, being mindful of road safety is one thing we cannot take for granted. As National Safety Month is in full swing, why not make it a point to take some time out to care for your vehicle. In the long run, these basic car maintenance tips will save you time, money, headaches, and maybe even your life. Safe driving!
I am being compensated for my participation in SYLVANIA’s #TravelSafe campaign. All opinions are my own.
1 comment
Add in change your battery every three years. I always buy a 4 or 5 year battery and change it out about every 3 to 3.5 years. I put this information in my address book and my reminders. Yes you do leave some battery life on the table as it were but then you are never stuck anywhere because your battery died. Any savings you get from an extra few months of battery usage is dwarfed by a service call to get you started where ever you are stranded.
If you are handy changing a battery is easy. The hardest part is lifting the battery into place and getting the old battery out. Get some gloves and tools. If the nuts are easy to get to then a socket set works the best, or a set of wrenches. But be sure to have some regular pliers and some needle nose pliers if the nuts are harder to get to. A screw driver is nice to have in case some gentle prying is required.
The way to buy a battery is to go to the battery section (of say a CostCo or Walmart or Sears) or an Auto Parts Store and tell them you need a battery. They will ask a few questions like what kind of car you have and also what capacity battery like 36 month, 48 month or 60 month. Get a 48 month of 60 month battery. Of course the longer the capacity the more expensive. They generally last a bit longer than the stated time.
They will charge you a “core” charge which is generally around $15 or $20. Bring back the old battery (core) and they will refund this core charge.
In three years when you exchange the old battery for a new one you may have a refund due for some of the life of the battery that is life. Ask them when that expires. They will prorated it and at some point the value is zero. Does not matter a whole lot but sometimes a month or so difference means a refund or not. And we aren’t taking a lot of money but still something to consider.
PS if your radio requires a code to activate after losing electrical power (dead battery) have that handy. Again I put this in my address book, which is also on my phone. If your battery isn’t dead to begin with you will lose electrical power when you disconnect the old battery to replace it.
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