5 Car Maintenance Tips That Can Prevent Major Issues

Your car may be one of the biggest purchases you make, other than property. But unlike a house, you will be driving your car very frequently and in all types of weather conditions. That can cause some trouble with your car, even if you recently bought it.

Car maintenance is a vital part of having a car. While most people don’t even consider doing any maintenance unless they feel like something is wrong, the ones who have had some experience check regularly. 

If you’re in the former, doing car maintenance will not only make your trips to the mechanic cheaper but also less frequent. Not to mention, your daily drives can go more smoothly. 

Here are some car maintenance tips to help you start.

Check Your Spare Tire

If you have had your car for some time now, you may already know the right tire pressure that you should keep. If you don’t, you can easily check online for the manufacturer’s guide on the right tire pressure and make sure to maintain it. 

More importantly, people often forget about the spare tire. The entire purpose of the spare is to be used in emergencies. But what if you didn’t maintain the tire and it is not in a usable condition?

Therefore, you should check the pressure of all the tires, including the spare, once a month.

Check The Fluid Levels

The fluids in your car are the entire reason why it runs smoothly. The engine oil keeps the parts moving and prevents rust. Similarly, you may have brake fluid, steering fluid, and a whole bunch of others as well. 

Look up your car online to find out the fluid levels to maintain and how you can check them. For instance, reading the dipper when checking the engine oil can be confusing.

If anything seems problematic, you can go down to the local auto repair and let the professionals have a look. 

Replace The Brake Pads

The braking system is just as important as the acceleration when it comes to cars. Your car shouldn’t only brake smoothly on your normal drives but also brake efficiently in emergencies. 

If you feel like your brakes haven’t been as reliable as they used to be, go down to an auto repair shop and ask them to check the brake pads. More than likely, you may need to get them replaced.

Keep The Battery Clean

Take a look at the terminals of the battery, the place where the wires are connected. If you see something white or blue forming there, you need to immediately clean the battery. But make sure to clean it the right way. Otherwise, your battery can stop working, and you will end up stranded in the middle of the road unexpectedly.

Also, you need to check your battery liquid levels and get the battery tested once every few months.

Check The Suspension System

The suspension system is the entire reason why your car drives smoothly. If there are problems with the suspension, you will undoubtedly notice the roughness in your drives. 

Therefore, you should get the shocks, springs, and struts fully checked out every 15,000 to 30,000 miles, depending on the car you drive. If something needs to be replaced, do it immediately before it damages other parts.