As crucial as vehicle maintenance is in terms of making sure your car is reliable, people tend to skip an awful lot of it. If all you do every year is the basics—changing the oil and engine filters in a standard tune-up—you’re skipping a bunch of maintenance that only seems less important. Here are the vehicle maintenance steps you should definitely not skip.
Checking all the fluids
Sure, you change the oil according to a schedule—but your car runs on a lot of different fluids, and you should be checking and replacing them all regularly. This includes:
Brake fluid. Brake fluid can break down just like engine oil, so it’s a good idea to check it every time you change the oil, and change it out every few years, even if your brakes are working properly. You’re better off asking your mechanic to do this for you unless you’re very experienced, though, as brake fluid changes can be a bit more complicated than other fluids used in your car.
Coolant. If you haven’t checked your antifreeze recently, now would be the time. It’s incredibly easy to drain and replace your coolant, which you should do according to manufacturer recommendations or every few years.
The worst time to realize your windshield wipers have become a shell of their former selves is when you’re caught in a rainstorm and can’t see anything through the pour. Plus, there’s nothing less fun than changing your wipers in the midst of a storm. Your wipers will give you some warning that they’re wearing out, leaving streaks and making a lot of squeaky noises, so when you notice those signs, it’s time to pop off the old ones and pop on the new.
Check the lights
Proper tire pressure affects just about every aspect of your driving experience—it can make braking harder, affect the stability of the car (if you’ve never felt a car shake because the tires were overinflated, you haven’t lived), and impact fuel efficiency. Check the tire pressure (this is literally printed on the tire itself) at least once a month and adjust as needed.
Cleaning out the drains
You might not even be aware of the fact that your car has several drains that keep water from collecting in the engine—or in the cabin area. All of these drains should be inspected and cleaned out periodically—otherwise moisture will build up, rusting components and staining parts of the car. Typical drain locations include:
Doors. Drains are often located at the bottom of your doors. Often the sunroof drains are connected to these as well.
Trunk/bed. Drains are often included in the read of the vehicle as well.
You probably replace engine filters regularly, but have you ever inspected and replaced the cabin filter? These filters clean the air pumped into your vehicle’s interior via the A/C, heat, or ventilation system. It gets filthy just like any other filter, which leads to lower air quality in your vehicle’s cabin and extra stress on your systems. Look at your manual to find out where it’s hiding, then swap it out at least once a year—more often if you notice a drop in air quality, or if you regularly drive through some dusty areas.
Washing the exterior
You might think washing your car is a luxury, or a non-essential aspect of maintenance, but you would be wrong. Your car is bombarded with a ton of gross stuff—from dirt that scratches the finish, bugs that muck up your windshield, and corrosive stuff that can undermine your vehicle’s seals and other components. In other words, not washing your car on a regular basis will shorten its lifespan and increase your maintenance costs.
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