It is clear for every motorist that to keep the car in order it is necessary to have regular servicing. However it is not enough. to keep your car running nice and smoothly you also should keep an eye on it in-between getting it to the professional service. This means that it is necessary to provide a seriec of checks of the car every month.
Find your owner’s manual ? this is the best way. Of course some organized drivers keep it right in the car but most of us just put it somewhere and then in case of emergency they have no idea where it is. In this case you need to connect with the dealer as all cars are different so they have specific requirements which wary greatly depending on a car model.
The owner’s manual usually includes all necessary information for correct car maintenance. It even provides information regarding the kind of oil you should use and how often to change the oil and transmission fluid.
Following the instructions of your manual is important for get maximum fuel economy. Incorrect care of your vehicle can increase fuel consumption by up to a half along with the percentage of toxic emission.
So every month you should perform careful checking of your vehicle. Don’t do this in a hurry, choose a day when you have plenty of time to investigate everything carefully and attentively. Make sure that you’ve covered all. The best way is to write a checklist which includes all the things you should do.
Regular car checking not only brings it in tip-top running state, but also allows you to learn better your vehicle, its strong and weal points. You’ll be able to find small problems before they turn into bigger and expensive ones. This will also allow you to reduce risk of breaking down.
So here is the list of checks you should perform every month:
Tires
The law requires that the car should have tires of a proper type which depends on the car itself and on other factors such as weather condition, road surface etc. Monthly you should check the tread of the tires. 1.6mm is the legal limit for minimum tread depth. Despite of the fact that this limit agreed with legal requirements, many road safety organizations consider it not really sufficient and suggest that the motorist should replace the tires when the tread depth reaches 3mm.
In the event you breach the legal limit for tire tread you can face a penalty. That’s why you should not delay and if you tires are close to this limit change them as soon as possible.
Having checked the tire tread, pay attention to the pressure of the tires. All necessary information is included into your manual so consult it before do this. This check is very important so you should do it even more often than once a month. Actually it is necessary to check the tire pressure every time when you have gone over some bumpy object on the road or in the event of sudden temperature chanfe. Both these factors can seriously affect the pressure of your tires.
Leaks
Investigate the ground or floor around the car and under it for oil leaks. It is possible to understand where the leak is by the color of the liquid. Oil is black while brake fluid is slightly brown; coolant is green while wiper fluid is pink or bright blue.
Fluid Levels
Check the levels of all the fluids of your car – power steering fluid and transmission fluid, engine oil and coolant level. Don’t forget to fill wash container for windowscreen.
Under Bonnet Checks
Look under the bonnet t see if there are any cracked wires, hoses, loose clamps and corrosion.
Brakes and Wheel Adjustment
Next step is brakes check. This should be carried out on a flat and quiet part of road. Very lightly put your hands on the wheel and slowly increasing the pressure apply the brakes. In the event your car goes to one side, one of the brake linings is worn more than the other. Possibly your brakes need adjustment.
Check your brake pads and discs if possible. You do not need t do this every month. Just monitor them from time to time to see when they need replacing.
If you find any problems not mentioned in the manual you should contact with specialist as soon as you can to avoid serious car repair.