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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According to automobile experts, your car’s tires should have the right amount of pressure because these serve as the medium between you, your car, and the open road. If you do have underinflated or overinflated tires, you would be experiencing much too many rattles and shakes as you drive your way through various types of roads. Also, tires that are not inflated properly give you a more bumpy ride. They also tend to wear down quickly compared to tires that are inflated just right.

Another fact about tires is that when they are overinflated or underinflated, they actually make your car use up much gas. Compared to having a car with tires inflated just right, your car makes use of just the right amount of gas. It even saves you much on your hard-earned dollar for you would not have to spend more on the very high-priced fuel.

To check the your tires’ pressure, make sure that you do it when your tires have already cooled down. Keep in mind that tires get more inflated when warm for the air inside expands. Then, you should first remove the cap from the valve on the tire that you are checking. Put in and press a tire gauge hard into the valve and take a look at the given reading. You would know if you have inserted the gauge properly if you hear the sound of escaping air.

Then, if you notice that the tire needs more pressure, fill it up. On the other hand, if your car has had just too much pressure, then release the air. You would know the right and recommended air pressure of your tires by checking your car owner’s manual.