10 Basic Car Maintenance Tips for Beginners
Having a car sounds exciting. You think of all the places you can go and the adventures you'll have. But what often goes unnoticed is how much maintenance your car needs to stay in good shape. Eventually, some parts will wear and tear, and the last thing you want is for your vehicle to break down while you're on the road.
Basic car care is a key part of keeping your vehicle running smoothly. Regularly checking the engine, tires, and other parts will help you avoid costly repairs. The better care you take of your vehicle now, the longer it will last and the less money you'll spend fixing problems down the road.
If you are a new car owner or just don't know how to take good care of your vehicle, here are 10 basic car maintenance tips for beginners like you. This should kickstart your journey in getting to know your vehicle more and ensuring it's always in optimum condition when driving.
Get To Know Your Car
Reading the owner's manual is an important step in maintaining your car. This way, you will understand where certain parts are located and how they function. You want to know what each feature does so that you can correctly fix or replace them if you need to.
If you can't find the manual, look for online articles about your car and read them before taking any action with the vehicle itself. There are also many useful car care tips on the internet.
Clean Your Car Regularly
When dirt and grime start to build up, take the time to wash your car. This keeps your car looking nice and shiny and prevents your neighbors from thinking that you're a slob!
Clean the interior of your car as well. This means cleaning any stains or spills, vacuuming up crumbs, and generally making sure that everything looks neat and tidy. Clumps of dust under seats are not appealing to look at when getting into one's vehicle. Neither are soda cans rolling around on floors while driving down the highway.
Check The Air Pressure Of Your Tires
Knowing the level of air pressure in your tires is a great way to avoid flats on the road. Not only a flat tire is frustrating, but it can also be dangerous, especially if you are on a busy freeway.
Checking can usually be done by looking for the valve stem on the side of the tire, removing its cap, and sticking the tire pressure gauge. If your findings are lower than the manufacturer's recommendation, have your tires inflated. If you do not have an air compressor, most gas stations and car repair shops have a tire inflation service that you can go to in case your tires have low air pressure.
Clean Or Replace Wiper Blades
Using old and dirty windshield wipers can be dangerous, so it's best to clean them regularly. If after a wash and there's still no improvement, then it's time to replace them.
Fortunately, replacing the wiper blades is easy and can usually be done without using any tools. For the right blade and installation, see your car's manual.
Inspect Your Brake Pads
When your car's brake pads are worn out, your vehicle may take longer time than usual to slow down when you step on the brake. This is dangerous and can get you or someone else on the road in trouble.
To check your brake pads, get down and look at the front of your tires. In between the treads of each tire is a metal disc attached to a piston called a caliper. This has two shoes that press against both sides of each rotor as you apply pressure with your foot on the pedal. When these are thin, they need replacing.
Regularly Check All Fluid Levels
A common mistake is to neglect the fluid levels in your vehicle. To ensure that your car runs smoothly, you should check your car's fluid levels, such as engine oil, coolant, and brake fluid, at least once a month.
Ideally, the car should be turned off when checking for these. The brake fluid and coolant are usually stored in semi-opaque containers with level markings. If they are low, they need to be replenished.
On the other hand, the amount of engine oil can be checked by pulling up its dipstick — it's brightly colored, usually yellow or orange, with MIN/Low and MAX/high markings. Wipe off any oil from the stick and put it back in. Pull it out again and this time, see where the oil level is. If it's low, time to refill it.
Examine Your Car's Battery
If your car won't start, it's not necessarily an issue with the engine — it could be a problematic car battery. To check, try turning on the headlights and car stereo. If they don't work, the battery is the likely culprit. Pop the hood and see if the battery is cracked, swollen, or leaking. If it is, you need to replace it as soon as possible.
If it's covered in corrosion, you need to clean it because corrosive build-ups can weaken the connection between your battery and the vehicle's electrical system. If you leave this kind of corrosion unchecked for too long, you could end up with an underperforming or dead battery that needs replacement.
Another cause of a car not starting is a drained battery. But it can be revived by jumpstarting it with another car. To do this, you need a jumpstart cable and a friend or family member with a working vehicle that is not smaller than your car.
Lastly, keep in mind that with regular use, the average life span of car batteries is around three years. So if your battery is already past the three-year mark, you should replace it immediately.
Check The Spark Plugs
The spark plug is one of the most important parts of your car's engine. It ignites the fuel and sends it to the combustion chamber, which then creates power. A malfunctioning spark plug can cause engine problems, so it's important to check them regularly.
To inspect, see where the old spark plug wires are located. Depending on how old your car is, this could be under the hood or inside a compartment under the dashboard.
Refer to your car's manual when changing the spark plugs. But in general, you would have to remove the spark plug wire and the coil on the plug. Then, unscrew the old spark plug and put the new one together with the wire and coil.
Replace The Air Filter If Needed
The engine air filter is a vital part of your car. It keeps the dirt and debris from entering the internal parts that could damage your engine block. If it looks brownish with dirt or other debris embedded in it, you should definitely get a new one.
Before changing the air filter, ensure you know the correct replacement. Otherwise, it won't fit. Next, find the compartment where your car's manual says it should be stored. If it has a housing, remove it and then the old filter. To install the new one, simply put it in and return the cover.
Make Sure All Lights Are Working
Always make sure that all your car lights are in working condition. Driving at night without headlights or with malfunctioning ones is dangerous and can lead to a ticket, injuries, or worse, death. If any of your lights are dim or burned out, replace them immediately.
See your car's manual for the correct light bulbs and their proper installation. Also, if possible, try getting OEM parts (original equipment manufacturer) to ensure optimal quality for the long term.
Let Davis Acura Help You
We hope you learned a thing or two from the above vehicle maintenance tips. Maintaining a car can be overwhelming, but with some basic knowledge and practice, it's not as hard as it seems. Just remember that if you take good care of your car, it will also take good care of you by keeping you safe on the road!
If you're not comfortable doing the maintenance yourself, you can visit us at Davis Acura. We will take care of all the regular maintenance needs for your Acura vehicle. Schedule an appointment or contact us at (215) 943-7000.