Crucial Vehicle Maintenance Items on Every Car |
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Joey Faircloth
13 July 2016
Cars today do not need half as much maintenance as they needed a couple of years ago. Car manufacturers are constantly working on better, more functional and efficient vehicle models. However, there are still a couple of important things you need to keep up with if your do not want to develop car problems. Some of the most common and crucial vehicle maintenance items include:
Oil
Oil is the life blood of your car's engine making this maintenance bit the most important for your vehicle. The oil keeps the engine's part working properly but it can be exposed to exhaust gases from the cylinders or get contaminated by small bits of metal. As the oil becomes older, it is less effective in its function and the heat from the engine also reduces the viscosity of the oil. You should change your oil at least once every three months or every five thousand miles. The frequency of engine oil changing depends on how often you use your vehicle. You should always consult the owner's manual to see how long your vehicle can go between oil changes. If your vehicle has a complex monitoring system, it may be able to determine how long the oil will last. This feature is often found in vehicles that are more modern.
Air filter
A dirty air filter for your car is similar to trying to breathe with a sock over your mouth. Not enough air can get in and most of it is muffled and musty. Air filters clogged with dust and dirt is kind of the same way and can reduce your gas mileage significantly. The frequency of changing your air filters depends on the environmental conditions where you are driving and the number of miles you drive in a year. Just like your engine oil, your air filters should be changed at least once every 5000miles. The distance may be longer for street vehicles that do not get into a lot of dirt or off-road driving. Old engines produce fumes that can contaminate the filter and cause it become unusable in as little as 1000 miles.
Brake pads
It is a no brainer that brake maintenance is important to the safety of your vehicle. There are no rules on how often you need to change your brake pads. It purely depends on the frequency of your driving, your driving style, the weight of the vehicle and the quality of the brake pads. When it comes to checking your brakes, take a more hands on approach in making sure you replace worn out brakes. Most auto repair shops offer free brake inspection. Some vehicles also have an electrical monitor built into the brake pads that tell when they are too worn out and need to change.
Tires
The life expectancy of your tires also varies depending on the load of your car, your driving techniques and the driving conditions. Normal passenger car tires can do about 50,000 miles before they need to be change. There are some factors that can cause premature wearing out of car tires. The wear indicators in car tires are the tiny ridges between the treads. Once the treads get even with the ridges, you know you need to get new tires.