These basic car maintenance tips will help guide you when it comes to preventative maintenance so you can get the most out of your car and prevent car trouble.

Six Do-It-Yourself Car Maintenance Tips

Before you take the first step to preventative maintenance for your car, you should take the time to read through your owner’s manual. This will allow you to become familiar with your car as a whole, and learn about the things your car needs to function properly. Once you’re a little more familiar with your vehicle, you can take care of it by following our car maintenance tips.

Tip #1: Check your tires

Making sure that your tire pressure is set to factory specifications will increase their life span. To find out how much tire pressure you should have, check your owner’s manual or call the dealership directly.

Be sure to check the tire’s tread as well. If you can see a solid bar of rubber across the width of the tread, it’s time for a replacement.

You should also have your car tires rotated. A good rule of thumb is to have your tires rotated every six to eight thousand miles.

Tip #2: Fluids, belts and hoses

In most cases, fluids, belts and hoses can be checked easily. A lot of times, all it takes is a quick check under the hood to see if the fluids are low or if there’s wear and tear on your belts and hoses.

Tip #3: Windshield wipers

If your windshield wipers aren’t performing very well, then it might be a good time to replace them. It’s quick and easy to replace them, so doing it yourself isn’t a problem. Just make sure to look in your owner’s manual so the right model of blades is purchased.

Tip #4: Brakes

It’s important to have good brakes, and there are a number of ways to check what needs to be done.

• If your brakes squeal or grind when stopping, the brakes need to be cleaned or the pads need to be replaced.

• If your car pulls to one side when braking, you may be lacking sufficient hydraulic pressure.

• If the pedal goes all the way down, it usually means that the rear brake lining is wearing thin. If the pedal just feels soft when braking, you may be low on brake fluid.

And, of course, if your car has a brake light that glows, don’t ignore it when it lights up. Filling the brake fluid might resolve the problem, but if not, take it in to get looked at.

Tip #5: Car battery maintenance

It’s almost probable that you’ll have to replace your car’s battery at some point, but there are ways to prevent it from happening too quickly.

• Clean the cables with a wire brush and a mixture of one tablespoon baking soda and one cup water. Be sure to disconnect the cables from the battery before cleaning. Adding some petroleum jelly to the posts will make reapplying the cables easier.

• Check the connections. If the cables are loose, tighten them. If your car comes with a bar that holds the battery down, be sure it’s secure.

Both of these car battery maintenance tips will help when it comes to prolonging the life of the battery.

Tip #6: Car maintenance schedule

Every vehicle has a car maintenance schedule that should be followed. In most cases, scheduled maintenance is required at 30,000 miles, 45,000 miles, 60,000 miles and so on. Adhering to your car maintenance schedule will ensure that your vehicle is in proper working condition.

The Bottom Line

Following the above car maintenance tips will ensure proper functionality of your vehicle. Preventative maintenance is easy to do and will save you from the stresses of premature repair costs and vehicle breakdowns. In other words, it will help you get the most out of your car.

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The most important thing you can do for your car is make regular auto maintenance check-ups, service all the automotive liquids. Oh, by the way, be sure to check your car’s liquids every 2 weeks. That means your oil, coolant, power steering fluid, and transmission liquids. Make checking your tires a constant too. My ex-girlfriend recently called me up and cried that one of her tires exploded driving under a freeway. Yikes. Also, don’t forget to maintain a proper fuel tank level according to your particular car’s engine (see car owner manual). A car owner manual is like the bible of your vehicle. If you don’t already have one, get one. You’ll wish you had one if your car breaks down in the desert.

Your car engine will thank you with better performance and quicker reaction times, which is an essential part of keeping you and your family and friends safe on the road. Make yourself aware of this info. It may save the life of your engine one day. It will save you money on gas and auto maintenance.

Choose the right fuel. Your vehicle is designed to take regular unleaded fuel, which will have this symbol (87) on the pump at the gas station. The 87 symbol refers to the level of octane in the fuel. Using lower grade of fuel will jack up your car engine and will cause heavy knocking, which could easily damage your engine. I drive a Ford Tempo, and my car owner manual says to use the 87 grade of gas.

Higher grade fuels will protect your fuel system from rusting and protect against fuel lock in the fuel system (causes engine to hesitate/stall and hard to restart). In addition, it will minimize fuel deposits in fuel injection system, and prevent your engine from knocking/pinging.

Higher grade fuels will also prevent the fuel system from “gumming up” when not run for long periods of time, not to mention help your, Ford Tempo perhaps, start more easily in winter while assisting in help the prevention of freezing fuel lines.

Tips to increase gas mileage include not driving at life-threatening highway speeds can dramatically lower your fuel economy. It maybe fun, but it’s the car that you don’t see that will do the most damage. Gradually increasing your speed will save you precious fuel. And the way gas prices have been, it is nice not having to cram all your money into your gas tank. Extended idling of your engine will lower your miles per gallon.

I hope theses tips allow you to spend more time with your family and friends. As well as save money on gas, and auto maintenance. Enjoy!

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Jeremy is the owner/developer of The Ford Tempo Center. It’s the 1 stop auto shop for all your D.I.Y. Ford Tempo automotive needs. To browse car parts, auto accessories, articles, FAQ, or save cash using car tips and secrets, view the above link.

Firestone Tire & Service Centers provide these tips to get your vehicle ready to hit the road.

Begin by taking your car to a certified automotive technician for a full checkup to ensure that the engine, battery, exhaust system and cooling system are in good working order and the main fluids are filled to the recommended levels. You can find a technician in your area by visiting www.MasterCareUSA.com.

This is the perfect time of year to check your vehicle’s cooling system. The cooling system of most cars requires a 50/50 mixture of water and antifreeze, which should be flushed once every two years. Have a technician determine if your car is ready for a system flush; this preventive maintenance step can save you from an inconvenient roadside breakdown and a big repair bill in the future.

It also is essential to make sure that your tires are properly inflated, rotated, aligned and replaced as necessary. Under-inflated tires will actually decrease your vehicle’s gas mileage and shorten the life of your tires. A label on the driver’s inside door jamb, glove compartment door or fuel door lists recommended tire pressures for different speeds and loads. Never use the “max pressure” number found on the sidewall of your tire.

Check your tire pressure at least monthly and always when your tires are cold (driven less than 1 mile or stationary for at least three hours).

And watch your tire tread. Worn tires can be extremely dangerous on wet road surfaces. “Wear bars” – small raised points of rubber in the grooves – will show up when tires are worn. If the tread is the same height as the wear bars, it’s time for a new tire.