checks to do to avoid vehicle breakdowns
3 minutes

Owning a car has a slew of tasks, spanning from maintaining the exterior and interior to the engine, electrics, among other technical components. It is usual for people to want to maintain their cars running smoothly and avoid problems. Perform a number of checks around the vehicle and under the hood. Why is this so? When determining the worth of a car, a well-maintained vehicle makes a significant impact.

How can you keep the vehicle from breaking down frequently? Perhaps it can be determined by how frequently you use the car and how well you maintain it. Here are some maintenance checks you should perform.

There is no way to pinpoint the cause of a car failure. It is unexpected, yet it can detect when anything is wrong with your vehicle. Knowing the state of your vehicle is a good idea before taking it for a lengthy journey or a MOT. These are the seven most critical things to check to ensure your car is protected from harm

Fuel

Make sure you have enough fuel in your tank for your journey. It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people run out of fuel, especially during harsh winter weather.

Oil

Every time a patrol checks the oil level, one in three is dangerously low. Leaving this issue unattended can lead to a breakdown and catastrophic engine damage. Make sure that your oil level is between the minimum and maximum mark on your dipstick, and top it up if necessary. Consult your owner’s manual or enquire to your local dealer if you aren’t sure what type of oil to use.

Did you check your tyre?

The important part of every vehicle and with high responsibility is closely related to safety. In case you’re offset in the tyres can be dead, it could be dangerous if anyone is around while you drive. And it would be tough to fix it and move forward.

Better watch its pressure, tread, and alignment to confirm the car turns where you want it to turn.

Ensure you keep the tyre pressure as per manufacturer limitations and enjoy the smooth running of the vehicle. Use a pressure gauge to check the pressure as under pressure is too risky and leaves you stranded in your way.

Secondly, check the wear and tear and treads of tyres to ensure maximum handling, braking, and efficiency. You can’t drive with the damaged tires in sharp turns, sudden brakes, or slipping accidents. The idea is to make sure you replace the tyres before taking your car for a long drive. Ensure the tread is between 1.6mm to 3mm.

Coolant

Make sure your car’s coolant is full. Overheating or a frozen engine are the last things you want. While it’s a sealed system and shouldn’t need to be topped up, you should always double-check, especially before a long journey. If the engine is cold, check the coolant level and consult your handbook for the correct coolant and mix to use.

Air filter for engines

Because a clogged or faulty air filter, it can reduce fuel efficiency and cause engine power loss, mechanics suggesting to replace the filter after 12 months or 12,000 miles.

If you find the filter needs to be checked or replaced, simply locate and remove it. You can find the instructions of how it fits before in your vehicle’s owner manual.

Spark plug

Engines function properly only if their spark plugs are in good condition; one or more faulty plugs will cause an engine misfire, so knowing how to replace them is important.

Ensure you replace the spark plugs every 30,000 miles or so, and if you want to do it yourself, you’ll need the right tools. If you have a manual, you can check it or speak to your dealer to see if a DIY replacement is possible.

Air conditioning

Whether it’s 35 degrees outside or just below freezing, your air conditioner must be fully functional. Apart from visual inspections of the pipework, there isn’t much you can do yourself.

A qualified person should do air conditioning system maintenance with the proper tools. When the air conditioner does not feel cool enough on hot summer days, this could indicate that the system needs re-gassing – this requires specialised equipment and should be entrusted to a licenced service centre.

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