Vehicle maintenance is not only a crucial, but inevitable process.
- Noises
A vehicle should not make out of the ordinary noises. Any grunting, grinding, or screeching noises are first indicators that something needs checking.
- Warning lights
Review the owner’s manual to understand what the lights are and what they mean. Tire pressure monitoring systems help ensure you know when tires are low in pressure and need to be refilled, check engine light, low coolant, etc. Low brake fluid is one to be particularly cautious with and immediately take your car to get serviced.
- Know what your oil and fluids do and why they are necessary
Every 5,000 kilometers oil changes keep your engine in the best condition because there are additives and/ or detergents that have the tendency to break down and leave deposits in the engine when left longer. Brake fluid should be changed every 2 years, because it is hygroscopic, meaning over time the moisture brake components corrode from the inside out, moisture collecting from all the seals and the lines will have a tendency to deteriorate.
- Scheduled maintenance
Get your transmission checked, every 80-100k, though some vehicles should be checked sooner. Have your brakes serviced once a year, this is when they take everything related to the brakes apart, lubricate it, and put it back together. Tire rotations should be done every 10,000 kms (unless it’s an AWD vehicle where tires wear evenly). If it’s a 4×4 and you have it engaged 2 wheels at a time you want to follow this schedule. Unless it’s a full time four wheel drive then typically you won’t need to rotate that often.
- Wear bars on tires
Brakes alone do not stop the car, they only slow down the car. It’s the level of kinetic friction that is produced by the tire tread that actually grips the ground to stop the vehicle. If you do not have enough thread on your tires when it is raining you will not be able to stop quickly or effectively. Tires have wear bars, pay attention to them to ensure that your tires will stop you when you need them to. They look like little rubber bars in between the threads, once the tire threading reaches the wear bar or nears it or if the tread is level with wear bars then the tires are at the end of their life and need to be replaced immediately.
