If you’ve just bought your car, there are a few things that you should familiarise yourself with. We have put together a list of essential checks that will help keep your car running smoothly and keep repair bills at bay!
Check the fluids in your car
Check your oil, power steering fluid, brake fluid, engine coolant, and screen wash regularly to keep your car in tip top condition. If you’re not sure how, there are plenty of online guides to help you. Your vehicle’s manual will tell you how frequently you should be changing your oil, so check to be sure.
Check and change your wipers
Your wiper blades have a relatively short lifespan and will become frayed or may even split. When your wiper blades start to smear your screen, it would be a good time to have a closer look at them. You can buy replacement blades online, or from retailers who will help you fit them to your car.
Check your tyre pressure
Keeping tyres at the correct pressure is not only more economical, but it also helps with steering and stability. Most petrol stations have machines which you can use to check and pump your tyres. Check your manual to find out what the tyre pressure should be for your car.
Check your lights and indicators
You could be pulled over if your lights aren’t working properly, so make sure you check them every once in a while. Indicator bulbs can show clear after a while, especially on older cars, so it might be worth replacing them. As they are made with orange-coated glass, they can wear down easily.
Know what your car’s warning lights mean
When you first get your car, you should read the manual and familiarise yourself with what your engine warning lights mean. That way, if something serious comes up, you can contact your mechanic.
Knowing how to check the essentials that keep your car running smoothly can help you nip any problems in the bud before they get too serious. Failing to act on some of these things can result in excessive wear or damage to your car. So, make sure you work through this list a few times a year to keep your car in tip-top shape – especially if you own an older car.
Correct at the time of publication. Information in this article has been gathered from various sources, therefore WiseDriving cannot be held responsible for any view or opinion expressed herein.
