Routine maintenance is the best form of prevention. This is a principle that applies to just about every type of machine, your vehicle included. Maintaining your car with regular tune-ups and inspections is a sure way to keep your car or truck running great and increase its life. It's also the best way to avoid big and costly auto repairs.
In today's blog post, we are going to talk about some of the top car maintenance tips that should be a part of your maintenance schedule. Too busy? Don't have time to read or maintain your car? Want someone to take care of all of your auto services? That's fine, too! Contact our Loveland auto shop today to schedule your tune-up.
Why Schedule Regular Auto Tune-Ups?
- Improve safety
- Enhance auto performance and reliability
- Avoid costly repairs
- Boost resale value
- Reduce the risk of roadside emergencies
Check Your Air Filter
Many car problems are born out of a problem with the air filter. Most auto mechanics recommend changing your air filter about every 12 months or after 12,000 miles. Neglecting to replace your air filters can lead to problems with your AC and the air quality inside your vehicle. Filters are quite easy to replace, and it's definitely the kind of job that you can do yourself — even if you're a novice mechanic.
Inspect Tires & Tire Pressure
The tires are an integral part of your vehicle. They're responsible for how your vehicle handles and brakes, especially when weather conditions are less than ideal. Like other main components, your tires have a bad (but unavoidable) habit of wearing out too quickly. This necessitates regular checks on your tires. When inspecting your tires, look for adequate tread depth (do you see the built-in tread wear bars?) and correct tire pressure for all tires (the exact number can be found in your owner's manual or on your tires).
Get Tires Rotated & Balanced
In addition to ensuring that your tires have the right amount of pressure and level of tread, it's also important to regularly rotate and balance them. Balancing and aligning wheels is not only important to fuel economy and tire longevity but also road safety. To determine how often this should be done, consult with your owner's manual. Most auto shops adhere to the general rule of rotating tires about every 5,000 miles.
Change Oil
Your engine consists of many moving parts. All this moving creates a lot of friction, which generates a lot of heat and can breed a number of problems. Minimizing (and ideally eliminating) the friction of these moving parts is a crucial part of ensuring that your engine operates smoothly. The best way to accomplish this is by regularly checking your oil levels and changing your oil frequently. When checking your oil level, be sure to park on level ground and don't just check the level — also pay attention to the color of your oil. It should be an amber color, not black. Dark oil usually indicates the presence of something that shouldn't be there — contaminants, chemical additives, or sludge.
Check Coolant Levels
While the oil in your engine helps to reduce the friction and, therefore, the heat between moving parts, this alone is not enough to keep your engine operating at a safe temperature. This is why vehicles are equipped with a radiator. However, if your radiator does not have coolant to draw from, then all that heat can lead to your engine overheating. Because of this important function, it is crucial to make coolant checks a regular part of your vehicle's maintenance. Checking is often as simple as looking at the reservoir, as most are somewhat translucent with appropriate markings on the panel.
What about replacing your spark plugs, checking drive belts, inspecting brakes, and examining your battery? Good question! These are important parts of auto maintenance as well, and we'll save them for another blog post.
Loveland Auto Repair & Maintenance
If you are in the Loveland area and find yourself in need of auto repairs, bring your vehicle into Jackson's Automotive. We can handle all of your routine maintenance, tune-ups, and big auto repairs. Learn more about us, our services, and contact us today with questions or to schedule an appointment.