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11 TIPS ON HOW TO
Maintaining Your Car Properly
What To Look For!
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1. Your Engine Light:
What to Watch For:
1. The conditions of the battery and charging system are
critical to the proper operation of the Electronic control system.
Both should beroutinely checked by measuring cranking and
engine runs battery voltage.
2. Bad senor could be running too lean.
3. A cylinder could be misfiring.
4. The fan/alternator or serpentine belt on your vehicle is
worn out, and is slipping.
5. Belts should be inspected for signs of wear and proper
adjustment.
6. Loose or corroded cable ends may prevent your battery from
maintaining a full charge.
(Should Your Enigne Light Come's On)
Have your mechanic diagnose the problem ASAP.
2. Engine Oil Level
Always Check When Parked for Oil Leaks
Oil is your bloodline to your vehicle's engine, doing proper oil
change Intervals will prolong the life of your vehicle and
eliminate costly repairs., and down time.
It is very important to always check the Engine Oil regularly and
keep it at the proper Level, always use the same grade of oil
as recommended in your owner’s manual.
Failure to keep your engine oil at the proper level can cause
damage to the engine, reduced fuel economy, loss of horsepower
and engine failure.
Recommended Oil Changes range from 5,000 To 8,000 miles.
(Have your oil changed on a regular basis)
3. Engine Coolant Level:
Rubber Hoses:
Always Check Your Temperature Gauge for Signs of Overheating.
Check the white coolant recovery tank often to ensure a proper
fluid level. Marks are on the Coolant recovery tank,
Indicate the proper level of coolant when the engine is cold or hot.
If you constantly have to refill, suspect a leak somewhere.
COOLANT:
Check for White, Light Green, Blue, or Pink, around hoses,
hose clamps, water pump and engine block which will show signs
of residue left from leaking coolant.
If No! indication of any fluids is visible. Chances you might have
a blown head gasket. This is a major problem have a mechanic
look at it ASAP.
RUBBER HOSES: Check for wearing out hoses, cracks, rips, cuts,
bulges and loose clamps.
Use DEX-COOL using other brands that 50/50 water and
antifreeze mixed can cause problems In the winter time, it can
cause freezing and it’s harder to warm your vehicle.
The wrong coolant can cause engine problems with your
water pump, thermostat, heater core, or cause radiator corrosion.
Which can cause overheating, rust, freezing, reduced flow.
(Changing your coolant every 30,000 Miles or
24 months Helps keep your engine from corroding)
4. Fluid Levels:
Always Check The Dip Stick If It’s Below The 1/2 Mark Refill.
Are a key function of your vehicles performance, always check
the following fluids on a regular basis.
Check! your oil, transmission,powering, coolant levels, and
windshield washer fluid. If you constantly have to refill, there's
a leak somewhere, have it checked.
Maintaining proper levels and replacing depleted fluids are
essential to your vehicle's performance and the longevity
of your vehicle.
5. Battery Cables and Connections:
Corrosion is a Sign of Problems to Come.
The battery is one of the most important parts of your vehicle.
If it should fail, the vehicle becomes immobilized, and won't
start. Basic signs to look for! are corrosion on your battery posts,
battery cables, terminals and battery acid on the top of the
battery. Would indicate your the battery is overheating,
which can cause battery failure when you least expect it.
Battery Cables what to look for:
1. Corrosion on your battery posts and terminals
2. Battery cables corroded
3. Loose battery terminals
4. Look for battery acid on top of filler caps and battery
5. The battery is hot and is bubbling
6. Brakes > Brake Drums > Rotors - Brakes Pads and Shoes
When you have your tires replaced or having them rotated,
is the best time to have your brakes Inspected.
Your brakes are one of the most important parts on your vehicle.
They play a vital role in safety while traveling from point A to
point B, how you drive is als a key factor aggressive driving
tends to wear things out faster.
Stop and go city driving tends be harder on cars than on interstate
highway driving. Costly Repairs! can be avoided simply by
performing regular maintenance. Driving safely and being
observant can keep you from avoiding an accident.
Therefore, proper brake maintenance requires close attention
to brake fluid, brake pads, rotors, calipers, brake drums and
brake shoes.
Brake maintenance ensures the proper functionality and safety
of your car's brakes.
Brakes what to look for:
1. Grinding noise
2. You hear a Screeching sound when applying brakes
3. You see metal shaving on your wheels
4. Spongy brake pedal
5. You can see your brake pad is worn out (Metal to Metal)
6. Brake Rotor has grooves from wearing out pads
7. Brake pedal fades when applied
8. Inspect the brake pads and rotors to ensure they still look good.
9. Brakes: Listen for signs of wear
If you hear a grinding or screeching noise regularly, make an
appointment with yourself mechanic. To have your brakes
inspected as soon as you can.
7. Air Filter – Cabin Filters: Dirty filters Cause Poor
Performance and Fuel Efficiency. Always have your air filter
checked when changing your oil.
A clogged air filter hampers the air flow to your engine which can
cause poor performance and fuel efficiency. As the air filter
clogs up, it restricts the air flow into the engine.
This adds to poor gas mileage on your engine, and making it harder
for it to "breathe." Due to increased vacuum, some dirt particles
could be Sucked through the filter and scratch the engine pistons
and cylinder walls.
Witch In-return can start consuming more oil.
When your cabin air filter is dirty, your engine is forced to work
harder, resulting in Poor fuel eonomy, higher emissions and,
possibly, loss of engine power. In turn, as a worst-case
scenario, a clogged cabin air filter can lead to under-performance
of the A/C system, causing weak airflow from the cabin vents.
The cabin air filter is located behind the glove box. Yours might be
beneath the dashboard, usually on the passenger side.
Cabin filters can often be removed without any tools by
simply opening a small access door.
(Look at your Owner’s Manual for Location)
8. Tire Maintenance: As Temperatures Drop,
Check Tire Pressure More Often
Keep your tire pressure up to the specs and have thtire rotation
done regularly. In some cars, if not rotated properly, tires
may need replacement as early as 15,000 miles.
If you notice that the steering wheel is off center when driving
straight the vehicle pulls to one side or the other when driving
on a level road, have the wheel alignment checked and adjusted.
It's also a good idea to do the wheel alignment checked
and adjusted when installing New tires. The reason to rotate
tires is that most modern cars have an independent rear
suspension, Which often causes the rear tires to wear more on
the inside. In some cars, rear tires may wear unevenly if not
rotated.
Always check your spare’s tire pressure, and make sure you have
a jack and lug wrench before venturing to work or vacation.
Tires what to look for:
1. Sidewall bulge.
2. Tread completely wear out.
3. Cut in the sidewall.
4. A puncture in the sidewall
(Sidewall punctures cannot be repaired).
5. A tire that has sidewall damage after being driven flat.
6. Rubber shavings inside.
7. Damage to the side wall.
8. Metal cord showing.
9. Cracks on side walls.
10. Tire worn on one side.
9. Serpentine Belt: Inspecting on a Regular Bases,
Will Help Keep Your Car Running
The Serpentine Belt is a critical part of this system,
The serpentine belt, also known as the Drive belt, is a belt that
controls a car’s engine that works with the idler tensioner.
And pulleys Inside the accessory drive belt
system. It provides power for the air conditioning, alternator,
power steering, and the cooling system water pump.
It continues to operate until the vehicle Shut off. Without a
properly functioning serpenting belt the engine may not run a all.
Belts what to look for:
1. Squealing noise from the front of the vehicle. If you notice a
squealing noise coming from the front of your vehicle. it
could be coming from the serpentine belt.
2. If the power steering and A/C are not working, or if the
serpentine belt completely breaks, then your car will break
down. and cause engine overheating.
3. Cracks and wear on the belt.
4. Chunks of rubber missing.
5. Abrasions and rib separation
6. Uneven Rib wears and damaged ribs.
If any of these signs are visible, it’s time to have your
serpentine belt replaced. It is a good idea to physically
inspect your serpentine belt from time to time.
Remember!’ if you see cracks, chunks missing, abrasions, rib separation, uneven rib wear, and damaged ribs. It is time to to have your serpentine/drive belt replaced
10. Wiper Blades: Poor Visibility Can Cause Accidents
Being able to see out your front windshield, especially during
rain or snow storms.
Your windshield wipers play a significant role in keeping you
safe your windshield wipers are essential for driving safely
because they either improve or obstruct your visibility.
If your windshield wipers start to streak or chatter"
it’s probably time to have them checked and replaced.
Your owner’s manual will tell youthe length of the wipers for
your car or truck.
Wiper Blades what to look for:
1. Rubber Problems
2. Windshield starts to streak or leave a film
3. Chattering Sounds
4. Bent Frames
5. Wipers are not making a smooth contact
6. Seasonal Changes
11. Head Lights, Tail Lights, and Fog Lights
Working Lights Prevents Having Accidents
Always check your head lights, tail lights, and rear brake light
to make sure they're working properly, changing headlights and bulbs when burnt prevents front-end and rear-end collisions.
“We highly recommend taking your car to a reputable Auto Repair
Shop or Dealership. That can inspect your car properly.
Please Note!
Having a lift makes it's easier to check tires, alignment, brakes,
oil leaks, exhaust and other components,
it’s important for safety, when you're car is lifted on the hoist,
as opposed to a drive-through oil change service”.
"MAINTAINING YOUR CAR PROPERLY SAVES YOU MONEY"
(C) Copywrited by Auto Yellow Pages 2024
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