Every car owner must know how important it is to keep the vehicle in good condition and that you shouldn’t take your vehicle in service for maintenance only when it has some malfunction since it is much more beneficial when you regularly check its status. There are many benefits of regular car maintenance, such as improved safety of the vehicle, better performances, fewer expenses, and higher price in case you want to sell it.
While some major failures will require to visit a mechanic, there are also many ways to check the state of your car or fix some minor breakdowns even if you are not so familiar with mechanics. For example, every person who drives a car should know how to change the spark plugs, tire, oil filters, and other simple repairs that would be beneficial to you, especially if your car fails to work on some open road.
If you manage to responsibly and regularly check the status of the engine and other parts, you will significantly reduce the possibility of a sudden failure. In that matter, check your official garage mechanic every few months or more frequently, in case you are driving some long routes more often. In this article, we are going to introduce you to the basic car maintenance schedule.
Change the Oil on Time
Most of the vehicles require an oil change every 5,000 miles on average, but there are also high-quality engines that could run over 7,000 miles with one service. The oil is crucial for the work of the engine and less friction of its parts. However, oil gets dirty over time and less useful, which means that you should often check its structure and levels. You can find more details in the best oil for the BMW article from carinmydna.com.
Also, there are other types of oil that are necessary for the vehicle. You will have to change the power steering fluid after every 24,000 miles on average, Coolant oil on around 50,000 miles, and oil in the automatic transmission every 60,000 miles on average.
Check the Battery Status
It can be annoying when your car just won’t start because of a dead battery, and you should always keep one spare battery in your garage. Also, it is not so complicated to change it by yourself. There are many step-by-step tutorials online. On the other side, if your battery went empty on an open road, you can easily start your vehicle with cables, and the battery of another car. The average battery can last for around three to five years, and people in the service will regularly check its voltage, which is another reason for visiting the mechanic more often.
Check the Tires
Another essential part of the vehicle is its tires, and you must pay attention to their condition and air pressure. Having proper tires i crucial for safety on the road, especially during heavy weather conditions. Your mechanic will often check the pressure and state of your tires during the regular inspection fo your car. Also, remember to always have a spare one in your trunk, especially if you are traveling some long distance. The air pressure should be checked at least once a month, while they have an average lifetime between 25,000 and 50,000 miles.
Replacement of Brake Pads
Brakes are using friction on disks in wheels to slow down and stop the vehicle, and they also require proper inspection and change, since they are wasting on the road, especially if you are a more aggressive driver. Usually, a brake check is done during the inspection of the wheels. The average lifetime of brake pads is between 25,000 and 70,000 miles, depending on the quality of the vehicle and the way you are driving. Also, you should change the brake fluid every two or three years, or on 36,000 miles.
Replacement of Air Filter
The role of the air filter is to protect the engine from dust that gets in during the driving. Over time, the air filter can become full of dirt and useless, which means that it should be replaced. The average lifetime of the air filter is between 15,000 and 20,000 miles. However, if you are often driving on dirty roads, you should check the status of this filter whenever you are changing the oil.
Inspection of Hoses and Belts
Checking the hoses and serpentine belts are especially important if you are driving an older vehicle. The average lifetime of these parts is around 60,000 miles and could cause some major failures if you don`t replace them on time. Make sure that you are checking the condition of belts from time to time since even a minor leak of tubes could cause some serious damage. Also, a broken belt could destroy the engine completely.
Change the Spark Plugs
The function of spark plugs is to signalize the engine to start working. In case you have a problem with starting the engine, or your vehicle has less power when you are accelerating, that could mean that you should change the spark plugs. Also, this part should always be in your basic spare equipment, and you can easily change it yourself. The average lifetime of spark plugs is around 30,000 miles, while there are also high-quality ones made of iridium, that could serve for more than 100,000 miles.
Inspection and Replacement of Wiper Blades
Many people don’t pay any attention to this part of the vehicle, but if you don`t replace the wiper blades in time, you could find yourself in heavy weather conditions, completely unable to drive. Also, wasted blades could damage the windshield. You should replace the wiper blades at least once a year, and it is a simple task that you could perform by yourself. Also, in case you are not familiar with the method of changing the blades, there are many video tutorials that will show you how to simply replace this part.
Replacement of Air filter in the Cabin
While changing the filter inside the cabin won’t affect the performances of your vehicle, it will save you from dirty air, and it will be more comfortable to drive some long routes. The average lifetime of an air filter in the cabin is one year or 12,000 miles.
