Making sure that your car health is as robust as it can be should be a priority for every driver. And at Recycle Motors, we want to make sure you have the best driving experience possible.
Use our checklist below, and make sure you get the most from your vehicle:
CAR HEALTH – WEEKLY
Check the condition of your tyres
Study the tyre’s sidewalls. This is the area visible on the side of the tyres. If there is any damage to the tyre beyond light scratching (such as cracking), ask a garage to inspect it.
Check the tread depth along the area of the tyre that comes into contact with the road.
Check your tyre pressures
Do this when the tyres are cold and the car is on a level surface.
The correct pressures will be in the manufacturer’s handbook or, sometimes, printed on a sticker
inside the fuel filler flap.
If the pressures are low, pump the tyre to the correct level using a foot pump or compressor. If they
are too high, gently let the air out by depressing the little brass nib inside the valve.
CAR HEALTH – FORTNIGHTLY
Check your oil
Switch off the engine and leave the car to cool for at least 10 minutes.
Locate the dipstick, remove it and wipe it clean to get rid of any unwanted oil deposits. Put it back in
the engine, wait for a moment or two, then remove it again and check the level.
The correct level will be shown by two marks on the dipstick. A satisfactory level of oil will be
somewhere between the two marks, but ideally closer to the maximum mark.
If you need to top up the oil, you must locate the oil filler cap, which is separate from the dipstick.
CAR HEALTH – MONTHLY
Check your brake fluid
First, find the brake fluid reservoir – your handbook will tell you where it is (usually on the engine
bulkhead, to one side of the engine).
Identify how the brake fluid level is measured – either by a mark on the reservoir indicating the level it
should be filled to, or by a dipstick under the lid.
If the fluid is slightly below the minimum level, top it up by pouring brake fluid in up to the indicated
level.
If you discover that the fluid level is significantly below the indicated level, do not attempt to drive the
car under any circumstances. Call for breakdown recovery.
Check coolant levels
Find the plastic radiator expansion tank – this is where you’ll top up your coolant. When the car is
cold, locate the mark on the plastic tank that shows the minimum coolant level.
If it needs topping up, slowly remove the cap (remember, only ever do this when the car is cold) and
fill the tank to the required level with water and the correct concentration of anti-freeze for the time
of year.
Don’t forget to add anti-freeze, as this stops the water expanding in very cold conditions and
potentially cracking your engine block.
If your car requires regular top-ups, it almost certainly means there is a leak somewhere. You’ll need
to take your car to a garage to get this fixed.
Check your washer fluid levels and windscreen wipers
Locate the water container for the washer jets.
There is no need to be precise with fluid levels here – just fill the tank with the correct concentration
of water and screen wash (the label on the bottle will tell you what concentration to use).
If your wipers smear the screen, try wiping them with a cloth doused in a mixture of vinegar and
water.
If the wipers still smear the screen, buy new wiper blades.
Check your lights
There are a few things you need to do to ensure your lights are operating correctly. The obvious one
is to make sure they are clean, but there’s more.
For example, check that none of the bulbs have blown – switch the ignition on and look at all the lamps.
With your headlights turned on, check the sidelights, dipped beam and full beam. Get someone to help
you check your brake lights.
Also, ensure there are no cracks in the lenses, or that there’s no water inside.
Source:What Car
