Top 10 Car Maintenance Tips for Beginners

 

Introduction

Maintaining a car can at times be a herculean task especially for a newbie but developing sound car maintenance tips for beginners practices would ensure your car serves you for many years.

Here are the top 10 maintenance tips for every beginner car owner should know

1. Check Engine Oil Regularly

Monitoring the engine oil level is one of the simplest ways to monitor your car’s status and ensure it is in good shape. 

The oil coats all the ‘bearing surfaces’ in your engine and with the help of its additives, it cools and nourishes all parts that move. The dipstick should be checked approximately once a month to ensure that the oil level is within the ‘Full’ and ‘Add’ lines. 

Should be topped off when it gets low. You also may want to have the oil and oil filter changed regularly as recommended by your owner’s manual, generally between 3,000 and 5,000 miles.

2. Clean and/or replace filters on your heating and cooling system

Old air filters, in particular, can limit the amount of air getting to your engine and, eventually, diminish your fuel efficiency. There are a few different filters you'll want to inspect and change out regularly: There are a few different filters you'll want to inspect and change out regularly:

- Intake manifold gasket – A piece that fits between the intake manifold and the cylinder head. ‘Must be checked on a yearly basis and replaced when necessary or every 20, 000 – 30, 000 miles.

- Cabin air filter – Filters the air coming into your passenger compartment or air conditioning system. Inspection at least once a year and change when they are dirty or blocked.

- Fuel filter – It is responsible for removing any impurities in the fuel line before it gets to the engine. It should be changed after 40,000 to 60,000 miles. A clogged filter may lead to severe problems in the engine of the car.

3. Refilling Coolant and Cleaning Flush Radiator

The radiator and cooling system play the roles of ensuring the engine is at the correct operating temperature. It is a fact that coolant or antifreeze deteriorates and needs to be drained and refilled at intervals of about every 3 years or 30,000-60000 miles. 

Check your owner’s manual. Add coolant to the coolant overflow tank if necessary each time you open the bonnet.

4. Replace Windshield Wipers

It is especially important to be able to see well at night and during snowy or rainy weather conditions. Windshield wipers also become hard, cracked and smeary due to accumulation of dirt and abrasion from the sun as well as through use. 

It is suggested that wiper blades should be changed at least once a year or if their performance has decreased to the level that they leave some streaks across the windshield.

5. Keep Tires Properly Inflated

It is good practice to check the tire air pressure monthly as it increases the lifespan of the tires and also aids in fuel economy. 

Tires normally deflate at a rate of 1-2 psi per month. With a good air pressure gauge, check each tire and adjust the pressure to the recommended one that is indicated at the driver’s door jambs. Tires that are underinflated last shorter and affect the car’s handling and braking power.

6. Check the condition of Brake pads and Rotors

Used brake pads and rotors are very dangerous and can cause other mechanical problems to occur. Find out where the brake pads are located on the wheels. Occasionally you should look at them visually to check the thickness on the surface. 

It is general knowledge that brake pad have wear indicator strips that produces a squealing sound when the pads are worn out. It is recommended to get them inspected and replaced as complete sets when worn.

7. The next thing to consider is the battery terminals and cables.

A car depends extensively on a good battery to crank up the engine and to supply power to all devices. Battery terminal ends may get corroded and this ends up not making a good connection. 

Scrub with a wire brush the white or blue corrosion deposits on the battery terminals and the cable ends. After that, tighten and lubricate them to avoid future corrosion. Check battery cables and replace them if they are cracked or frayed.

8. Clean both inside and outside of the object.

Although this is not the mechanical kind of maintenance, washing your car from inside and outside will help you a lot down the road. 

Polish the paint on the car at least twice in a year or every three months to ensure that the paint does not fade due to exposure to sunlight. Clean the interior by vacuuming to get rid of the abrasive particles on the carpet and materials such as leather. 

Engine-bay washes clean the dirt and help you identify leaks easily. It may be useful to describe the treatments for fuels system, injectors, engine and drivetrain as to cleaning them.

9. Alignments and Wheel Balancing

If your wheels are aligned and balanced correctly, you will get the straightest and the most stable ride. Alignment also assists in ensuring that the wheels are properly positioned and thereby avoid situations where the tires develop bad habits of wearing out unevenly.

 Wheel balancing makes sure that the distribution of the weight is correct for the tire-wheel combination for free rotation. 

Both should be checked when you get new tires or feel a vibration on the steering wheel. Most tires require rotation every 6,000-8,000 miles for even wear and distribution also.

10. Keep Detailed Service Records

The last of the car maintenance tips for new drivers is to maintain a detailed record of all the service, repairs and updates done on the car. Every time you service the car, remember the date/mileage to change the oil, replace the brake pads, rotate the tires etc Keep all receipts of parts purchased along with the owner’s manual. 

This documentation develops a history report for your vehicle that comes in handy especially when you want to resell your car later.

If you follow these basic rules of car maintenance then you will get the best out of your car in terms of durability and performance. 

Having proper habits on how to take care of your car from time to time keeps a driver from having to incur handsome amounts to repair. Inspect ways often and do not let minor matters become large problems. 

By regularly maintaining your car and paying a lot of attention to it, your car will serve you for many years.

Conclusion

Hence, it may seem very overwhelming to take care of a car, especially when you are new to it, but it is very important in making sure that the car is in good shape and would last long with proper use. 

When new drivers adhere to the 10 tips outlined above including checking the engine oil, replacing filters and refilling coolant, changing wipers, monitoring tire pressure, checking brake pads, cleaning battery terminals, regular washing, wheel alignment and recording service history, then good habits are instilled into them regarding how to maintain a vehicle. 

Adhering to these simple auto care practices also allows one to avoid major problems in the future by having them fixed during minor issues. Although it may require some time and energy, proper car maintenance which includes oil changes, fluid flushing, belt replacement, and surface cleaning will enhance the performance and longevity of the car thus enabling the owner to continue driving without any problems.