Take Care of the Basics

If you keep up with the basic maintenance of your car, you will keep the car running smooth, and you will be less likely to run into severe problems down the road. While there are parts of the vehicle that will wear down over time, like your tires and breaks, proper maintenance will even extend the life of those parts that will require replacement. In our first blog post on our new website, we will go over some of the things that you should keep an eye out for regardless of our old or new your vehicle is.

Inspecting your vehicle

In New York State, every vehicle is required to have an annual inspection. This inspection checks for the safety of the car as well as the emissions. State inspection is a great time to determine what work might need to be done right away and what you may have to deal with soon. You should also be making some checks of your car throughout the year on your own. There are several oils and fluids that your car uses for many different things. Checking most of these fluid levels is easy to do and should be done regularly. If you start to run low on engine oil, transmission fluid, or coolant, you may have a leak somewhere. Low levels of any of these fluids can cause serious issues with your car. Even your window washer fluid is essential so you can make sure your windshield remains clean while driving.

Keep an eye on your dashboard lights

With the number of sensors throughout your car, your car can tell you a wide variety of things about how the car and engine are running. If your car's computer has thrown a code, any number of lights may light up. You may get a generic check engine light, or you can get a light that points to a more specific problem. Check your owner's manual for the meaning of each of these lights. If any lights come on, you should bring your car to us right away to avoid more severe and expensive problems.

Check your tire pressure

No matter how smooth your engine is running, if your tires do not have the right air pressure, you will start to have serious and expensive issues with your car. Newer cars have a light on the dashboard that will light up if your tire pressure gets too low. Low air pressure can cause a car to work much harder than it should, and you will lose fuel efficiency and cause the tires to wear down much quicker than it would under ideal conditions. You should check your air pressure weekly. Your dashboard lights won't light up for variations in tire pressure, and even slightly unbalances tires can cause excessive wear and tear.

Check your tire's tread

The tread on your tires is what keeps you on the road in all sorts of conditions. If the tread is to shallow, your car will not hold on to the road even in good dry conditions. Sharp turns, such as turning a corner or entrance and exit ramps on most highways, can cause you to lose control of your car if your treads are gone. If you drive in the rain with inadequate treads, even driving straight down a local road can be dangerous.

Rotate your tires and check your alignment

Even if you watch your air pressure and tread, tires do wear down over time. Most roads are not perfectly smooth, and your vehicle's wheels will become misaligned. Your tires do not all wear down at the same rate. You want to have your best tires paired together. Whether you put the better tires in the front or back depends on your vehicle. You also want to check your wheel alignment to make sure you get the most out of your tires. Tire replacements can be costly. All these things will extend the life of your tires before replacing them is required.

Check your belts

Older engines have a series of belts. Most newer cars have a single universal belt. While the engine is off, it is easy to do a visual inspection of your belts to make sure they are not frayed or tearing. You can also pull on the belts to make sure there is an appropriate amount of tension. Belts that are too loose will slip, and belts that are too tight can break very easily.

Check your air filter

A smooth-running engine is dependent on a proper mixture of air and fuel. The air that comes into the engine goes through an air filter. Over time, this filter becomes clogged with dirt and allows for less air to pass through. A clogged filter forces your engine to work harder and reduce fuel efficiency. Most air filters are easy to access, and a simple visual inspection will let you know if your filter is ready to be changed.

Take Your Car to Sonny's Auto Repair for All of your Maintenance

Taking care of the basics in your car is relatively easy. There are also many items that we didn't discuss, like windshield wipers, cabin filters, and the lights, which are extremely important in keeping yourself and those around you safe. If you take care of the basics and change your engine oil based on the manufacturer's guidelines, you can keep your car running smoothly and safely for years to come. If you see or hear something you are not sure about in your vehicle, bring it to Sonny and let us check it out for you. We will do everything we can do ensure that your care is safe and ready to go.