15 car maintenance tips: a minimum of organization and diligence, and that’s it!
Car maintenance is unfortunately not limited to a simple oil change every 15,000 or 30,000 km. Many other points must be checked throughout the life of your vehicle. But rest assured, maintaining your car is not a headache. You just need to have the right reflexes at the right time. List of 15 steps not to neglect!
Car maintenance: the key to longevity?
Regular car maintenance helps prevent premature wear of your vehicle’s components. But we will see that maintaining a car does not only concern the mechanical part…
Tip #1: Respect the review interval carefully
When it comes to car maintenance, servicing is an essential operation that must be carried out at regular intervals (every 15,000, 20,000 or 30,000 km depending on the vehicle model and its engine). To know when to carry out your service, refer to your maintenance booklet.
The manufacturer’s warranty allows owners of new vehicles to be compensated in the event of hidden defects of mechanical origin. The minimum duration is 2 years, but some manufacturers run it over a longer period. If they wish, buyers can also request an extension of the manufacturer’s warranty, but this represents an additional cost.
Second, it ensures that the vehicle is in good condition and is not at risk of breaking down or threatening the safety of users. The service includes draining the engine, checking the levels (coolant, brake fluid, engine oil, etc.), as well as checking the tire pressure, lights and air conditioning circuit.
Don’t skip the technical inspection
The first technical inspection must be carried out during the 6 months preceding the 4th year of entry into circulation of your car, then every 2 years. The technical inspection covers numerous points (133 in total), including braking equipment, visibility, lights, tire pressure, chassis, steering and even nuisances. It can be carried out at any approved center. Like the overhaul, the technical inspection is mandatory.
Check Levels Regularly
If these checks are carried out during the overhaul, you must of course take over between two! At least every 6 months (depending on driving frequency), check that the level of engine oil, coolant and brake fluid is sufficient.
Take care of your battery
The battery does not like extreme cold or scorching temperatures. So consider sheltering or covering your car. Also look out for traces of corrosion, leaks or clogging of the terminals, which could affect its operation.
Give your engine time to warm up
Revving up a cold engine means putting dangerous strain on it, especially if it is a diesel engine. This harms the longevity of its moving components and causes combustion defects. Over time, this clogs the injection system.
Remember to change your timing belt in time
The timing belt replacement frequency varies depending on the make, model and engine of a car. It can be carried out every 60,000 to 160,000 km. The recommended mileage is specified in your vehicle’s maintenance booklet.
Wash your car regularly
Maintaining a car also involves cleaning the bodywork and underbody. Summer and winter, don’t wait for the dirt to accumulate! Also clean bird droppings, even small ones, without delay: they are known to attack the paint!
Peserve your windshield wipers
Routine maintenance of the windshield wipers must be taken into account. This manipulation is simple and requires little energy. It is often enough to clean this equipment with hot water and dry it with a clean cloth. It is also necessary to check their proper functioning and remedy them if necessary using silicone grease on the joint. At the first signs of wear, it is recommended to replace the squeegees, or more naturally every year.
Be Light on the Clutch
An overloaded clutch is a clutch that risks giving up the ghost before its time! Maybe you have some bad habits, like keeping your foot on it at red lights so you can shift into first gear quickly. Generally speaking, forget about the clutch as long as you don’t have to operate the gear lever. Likewise, when starting off on a hill, don’t be afraid to use the handbrake to avoid potential skidding. Your clutch mechanism will thank you!
