Car maintenance

Keeping your car on the road means giving it regular daily and weekly health checks.

Daily checks
Before driving have a quick look for any damage and punctures that may have happened while the car has been parked. Have a look underneath the car in case there are any fluids that have leaked e.g. oil, water, petrol and brake fluid.

Weekly checks
Tyres

• Check they're at the correct pressure and there aren't cuts or bulges on the tyre.
• You can find out the correct pressures from either the vehicle handbook, or from the charts, which you can find at the petrol stations near the airline. Look for your vehicle and tyre size to get the correct information.
• It's best to check the tyres when they're cold. You can buy a pressure gauge from Halfords etc. which can be more accurate than the gauges at the garage.
• The tread depth needs to be at least 1.6mm for cars and light vans. This can be checked by using another gauge or you can use the wear bars on the tyre tread to see how much tread you have left.

Oil

• Check the engine oil level when the engine is cold and the car is parked on level ground.
• If the engine has been running wait for 3-4 minutes before checking.
• The level should be on the maximum level indicator and never below the minimum level.
• Overfilling the engine oil can also cause problems for the engine oil seals.

Coolant (radiator)

• Most modern cars have a sealed system and have another small tank for checking and topping up the coolant.
• The tank will have a min / max level line on the side. Make sure the water level is between these lines.
• Check when cold; do not open the cap when the engine is hot, as there is a high risk of scalding.
• In the winter you may need to add antifreeze to prevent the engine freezing up. You can get it checked first, as there may be enough solution in the system already. The garage can do it for you, or you can do it yourself if you have a small amount of mechanical knowledge.

Windscreen washers & wipers

• The windscreen washer bottle needs to be kept topped up with water, and if you want, cleaning fluid.
• The car can fail its MOT if the washer bottle is empty.
• Check the entire wiper blades (rear as well) for cuts and tears, if they look worn then replace them as soon as possible. Usually if the screen isn't clearing well, it's time for a change.

Battery

• The water levels in the battery need to be checked. This can be done by removing the screw tops on the battery (around 6 usually) and making sure the electrodes are covered with water.
• The water used for topping up should be distilled water, although tap water can be used.
• Some batteries are a sealed system and can be checked by looking at the coloured indicator on the top of the battery; the correct colour for your car battery indicator can be found in the handbook.

Lights

• Check all your lights work correctly, and also your horn.
• You can carry spare fuses & bulbs in the glovebox.
• If any of the lenses are faded, smashed or cracked it could fail the MOT; replace them as soon as possible.
• Keep windows, mirrors and the light lenses clean especially in the winter when roads are dirty.

Related Links:

• Auto Trader
• BBC - Motoring
• Car Buying Strategies information
• Green Flag
• Halfords
• RAC
• The AA
• What Car