Anyone who has ever driven a wheel knows that auto maintenance is inevitable and the need for repairs occurs every now and then.
After such huge numbers of miles, various parts of the vehicle tend to wear out and must be supplanted. All vehicles additionally require frequent maintenance at intervals of the specific time period.
Regardless of whether you do the auto repair and maintenance yourself or take your vehicle to a mechanics shop or vendor, it is always a great opportunity to learn about your vehicle. The more you learn the better you spend. For example, you can buy cheap tyres in Dubai or any other region if you are well educated about the purchase you are going to make.
This article is going to encompass everything related to auto repairs and maintenance that you can implement to your vehicle the very next second of reading the article. Without further due let start, so you can make sure your vehicle is in the best shape possible.
Auto maintenance checklist
Following is the list of checks that you can perform in order to make sure vital systems of your vehicle are working perfectly. These checks should be performed at least once a month.
| Part to be checked | Category | Reason |
| Battery | General | Should not have corrosion |
| Engine air filter | General | Should be clean |
| External Lights | General | The bulb should be perfectly working if necessary change the bulb |
| Fan belts | General | The fan should be working properly |
| Handbrake | General | Make sure that brakes are not too old and have good gripping |
| Horn | General | Honk few times to ensure its working properly and to it full potential |
| Spare tyre & jack | General | You must have a working spare tyre as well as tyre jack & toolbox |
| Unusual engine noises | General | Should not have any kind of abnormal noises |
| Windscreen wipers | General | Windscreen wipers should be working |
| Mirrors & Windscreens | General | Your windscreen and mirrors should be clean and without cracks |
| Radiator Hoses | General | Should not have leaks or cracks |
| Seatbelts | General | Check that seat belt is firm and in good condition |
| Brake fluid | Fluids | Make sure fluid levels are according to the owner’s manual |
| Clutch fluid | Fluids | – |
| Differential fluid | Fluids | – |
| Gearbox oil | Fluids | – |
| Power steering fluid | Fluids | – |
| Radiator coolant | Fluids | – |
| Windscreen washer fluid | Fluids | – |
| Engine oil | Fluids | – |
| Brake lights | Lights | Make sure lights are working |
| Indicators/hazard lights | Lights | – |
| Fog & Park lights | Lights | – |
| Reverse lights | Lights | – |
| Headlights | Lights | – |
| Treadwear | Tyres | Make sure tread hasn’t deteriorated |
| Tread depth | Tyres | Tyre tread depth should be sufficient enough to provide good grip |
| Tyre Pressure | Tyres | Ensure tyre pressure is according to the manufacturer’s recommendation |
Necessary Auto maintenance
Wipers
Wiper, in general, does not seem to be a big deal, however, they can be helpful and often life-saving. That is the reason why you should always maintain your wipers by changing the rubber once a year.
Tyres
You can maintain your tyres for a better life span by rotating them after every 6000 miles. Also, make sure that your tyres are inflated with recommended PSI –you can use air gauge to measure your tyre pressure.
Oil Change
Using a dipstick to check your oil level and colour. If the oil is not clean or the oil is less than the recommended level it is time for an oil change. How often should you change the oil? The standard answer is 3000 miles but that might differ according to the vehicle
Fuel Filter
Make sure your fuel filter is not overworked. You should change the fuel filter every time you change the oil or get your vehicle tuned up.
Cleaning
Once a week it is a good idea to get your vehicle serviced since it can boast the look as well prevent corrosion.
Battery
A battery is an integral part of any vehicle and maintaining it is very essential. Following are the maintenance tips.
- Battery should not be old
- Clean the battery terminals carefully while brushing off the corrosion
- Maintain the fluid level in the battery by adding distilled water
Air Filter
Clean air filter helps your engine to suck in clean and debris-free air. You should make sure your air filter is clean and not over aged or overworked.
Major Auto Repairs
Wheel Alignment
The need for wheel alignment occurs due to:
- Tyres exhibiting uneven tread wearing
- Your vehicle pushes to the one side opposing your steering control
- Whenever you speed up the wheel vibrates
It is a difficult procedure to realign your tyres and that is why you should get assistance from a professional.
Tyres
There are a number of reasons why a tyre needs to be replaced, however, the major ones are as follow:
- Tread depth of the tyre is below 1.6 mm thus causing aquaplaning and sliding
- Tyre pressure is not according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Under-inflated tyres can increase fuel consumption due to higher rolling resistance.
- A tyre with fundamental damage, for example, punctures and cuts in the sidewall.
Here is a guideline on changing a tyre:
- In order for you to be able to replace your existing tyre with the new one, you must ensure compatibility.
- ISO metric tyre code from your existing tyre will help you to purchase a compatible tyre
- Always look for Discounted tyre deals
- It’s a good practice to change all of your four tyres all at once
- Consult a professional in order to get your tyre installed
Clutch
Following are the indications for the need of new clutch
- There is a problem while switching gear
- Gear slips while driving
A clutch plate deteriorates if it is being used inaccurately over a reasonable timeframe. Replacing your clutch plates will keep your grip in the most ideal condition and limit the danger of any unfortunate events.
Brakes
Following are the issues that occur due to bad brakes
- Whenever you brake the vehicle is not slowing down as it should
- You feel vibration when braking
- While braking the vehicles pulls to one side
The most widely recognized fixe for brakes is supplanting brake disc and pad.
Go easy on your brakes since it could not only affect your brakes but also tyre tread wear.
Spark Plug
Spark plug needs to be replaced if:
- Your engine is consuming way more fuel than it should
- Misfire occurs while igniting the fuel mixture in a cylinder
- It is hard to start your cold vehicle
- Whenever you speed up the performance of your vehicle decreases
If you are facing the above issues it time to replace your spark plug
Battery
Following are the symptoms of a bad battery
- When starting your car the car does not start
- Electrical components in the vehicle are not responding
- Acid is leaking from the battery resulting in the erosion
If you eyeball the above issues with your vehicle you should consider changing the battery. Make sure you are fully equipped with protective gear while dealing with the battery.
Conclusion
If you are a little bit more observant & devoting in terms of your vehicle you would be able to timely diagnose any issue before it turns out to be devastating or even worse.
