SOME CAR CARE EXPERIENCES EVERY DRIVER NEEDS TO KNOW

Along with regular warranty services at centers, self-maintenance of cars is also very important. Here are simple steps to help your pet stay healthy.

Sticking reminders on the windshield, notifying via phone message or email, there are many ways to make you “never forget” your  car care and maintenance schedule. However,  if you only rely on these periodic checks, it will not be possible to keep your car in the best shape .

Walking along the street, it is not difficult to see cars with worn out tires and if this condition continues without careful care, your car will “fail” in the near future.

Car tires

Starting from the wheels, if you have some free time, walk around the car and visually inspect the four wheels. If you have more time, consider the 4 tires more carefully.

The tire is the part in direct contact with the road surface and the smallest contact surface area is the size of the palm of the hand. Therefore, if the tires are worn out , the vehicle’s traction will also decrease, meaning the accident rate increases, especially on slippery roads.

You should get into the habit of checking your tires once a week and measuring tire pressure. Under-inflated tires are the cause of many problems while driving a car, such as:

Causes wear and tear on tires, creating drag (increased fuel consumption) and poor traction when turning or braking. Users can order a tire pressure gauge to check whether the tire tension is appropriate for the different conditions of each road segment. For example, when operating a vehicle on sandy roads, it is necessary to reduce tire pressure and soften the tires.

Car lighting system

Similar to checking tires, making sure that the lighting system both inside and outside the car is working properly is essential when driving. You can ask someone else to help with this task, especially when checking the tail lights.

In case the vehicle’s headlights or taillights are broken , it should be repaired immediately, not only for your own safety but also to avoid violating traffic laws.

If you find that your vehicle’s lights are not bright enough , do not rush to replace the bulb with a higher wattage because this will void the vehicle’s warranty, or more seriously, the new bulb may melt surrounding parts due to heat. height.

See more: What does electric car maintenance include? Periodic maintenance procedures and schedules

Always keep your car clean

Clean floors regularly

This is quite simple, especially important for families with small children. Keeping the car floor clean and tidy (you should clean and vacuum the interior and car floor once a week) will help keep the car in good condition. This habit will help a lot when transferring the car. to another person or to an agent.

Most people will evaluate the interior to conclude how well the car has been taken care of, from there, it is easy to see the car’s condition. This proves that cleaning the car interior  regularly and properly is an extremely useful tip.

Be careful when using cleaning solution

Another piece of advice is, if you use cleaning solution during the cleaning process, be careful not to get it on the gear lever, metal steering wheel or brake pedal. Of course, if cleaned with a solution, these parts can always be “shiny like new”, but at the same time they also become slippery, difficult to control and can cause accidents.

Exterior cleaning

Next are some notes when cleaning the exterior. With touchless car wash technology, it is easy to clean the car’s exterior . However, washing your car at home is quite interesting.

Regularly washing your car not only helps keep your car clean, it also removes road dust, tree sap, and even bird droppings ( Bird droppings wear away the glossy paint on the car’s surface ). The wax coating during cleaning helps create a barrier between the car’s paint and weather influences.

In addition, when washing the car, you should have at least two buckets of water and two sponges, one to clean the car body, and one to clean the wheels.

Check the car’s paint and windshield

Car wash time is the most appropriate time to check  the car’s paint surface . It is necessary to carefully observe scratches and peeling areas on the outer paint layer because they can lead to rust.

Similarly, cracks and damage to the windshield also need proper attention. When driving, just encountering thick fog, strong bumps or impact with rocks, no matter how small the damage, can damage the windshield, endangering life.

And don’t forget to check the car’s sunroof , because they can be accidentally broken. Wipers also need to be checked regularly. Don’t wait until the glass is dirty, leaves scratches or makes noise before discovering the problem. Replace the wiper rubber if the quality is not guaranteed.

Detailed procedures for properly maintaining cars, ensuring safety

Read the instructions for use carefully

The above maintenance steps are quite easy to perform and can be completely turned into the daily or weekly habit of any car driver. According to experienced car experts  , one thing that should not be neglected is to carefully read the user manual from the manufacturer.

This doesn’t mean crawling into bed and reading a chapter every night before bed, but simply knowing a few things like what type of oil is recommended by the manufacturer, when to change the oil (although this is (will be done during a routine maintenance session, but you can absolutely do it yourself), what type of air filter and timing belt are you using. Studying the owner’s manual is especially necessary when buying a used car.

Check the fluids in the car

Even for those who never change the oil, power steering fluid or coolant themselves , knowing how to check the amount of remaining fluid is still necessary. Most cars have screw caps and brightly colored covers on these parts to attract users’ attention so they can check them regularly.

Check the oil with the oil dipstick: In most cases, if you cannot see the number on the depth gauge, you will be able to see the amount of fluid remaining in the tank. Most will have a V-shaped notch indicating the optimal amount. If the fluid level is lower than this, it’s time to top up (read the manual to make sure you’re using the correct fluid pump).

Check the amount of oil and color:  The oil used in the car is like the “window to the soul” of the car engine. If it’s clean and clear, you’ve always taken care of your car, but if not, if the oil has a strange color, it’s best to take the car straight to the nearest car repair shop to have it checked.

Check and replace car parts when necessary

Replace the cabin air filter:  The windshield wipers were mentioned above and it was emphasized that they are fairly easy to replace. Likewise, replacing the cabin air filter is quite simple (learn more about its location and life cycle in the owner’s manual).

Most auto salons sell replacement parts and the simple operation is just to remove the old part, replace the new part and tighten it firmly. Engine air filters are also considered to be quite easy to replace, the level of ease depends on the vehicle model.

Replace spark plugs: Regularly study your owner’s manual to find out how often you should replace spark plug parts – a part that anyone can change or check themselves. If you can’t do the above, at least know where it is. Most spark plugs usually have a “expiry date” of about 100,000 km (Iriddi Spark Plug).

Timing belt/timing chain:  The user manual will provide us with the specific time to replace these parts. Even if you can’t replace it yourself, knowing where and when it needs to be replaced is still very necessary, because the bill to repair the timing belt  /timing chain is super expensive.

Conclusion

This list of basic car maintenance tips is designed to help you learn and participate in the workings of your “companion on the road,” instead of just thinking of your car as a tool to get you from one place to another. one place to another.

Every car is a treasure, if used and maintained properly, users will be able to enjoy comfort and safety. Regular car maintenance is always necessary  , and if you feel like there is a problem with any part, remember to have the car checked immediately.

See more at: Car Care Vip