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Maintain your car
The answer to a trouble free, reliable car.
Most of us take pride in owning a reliable,
attractive car.
The key to keeping a vehicle dependable and pleasing
to the eye, is to maintain it.
To some to just wash your car and send it in for a service
every 3,000 miles is their idea of routine maintenance.
But some cars need more than this to maintain their showroom
appearance, to continue to run smoothly and correctly to optimize
the factory's safety features.
The car wash is a very small way to keep
your vehicle clean
when you're in a hurry, but personal hands-on time is also
necessary to protect the paint work and to check parts and fluids.
Most of the products discussed here are
already in many people's garages.
If not, you can obtain everything you need at the local auto parts shop.
Belts and Hoses
Before going on a long journey or after every 50,000 miles
of use, check all of the engine's accessory belts.
Today, many cars are equipped with a serpentine belt that
runs all of the accessories, so if that belt breaks, you can lose
your power steering, water pump and charging system immediately. Inspect
the engine and look at the belt(s)
to see if there is visible damage, abnormal wear or small
hairline cracks. Replace any belt that shows signs of wear.
Even if a belt appears to be in good condition,
it should be replaced every 50,000 miles
as a preventative maintenance.
Radiator and heater hoses are also made of rubber. Their
condition
should be checked periodically. Both the upper and lower radiator
hoses can rupture from internal pressure and age without the driver
knowing it. When this happens, the coolant leeks out and the engine
can seize from excessive heat buildup.
In general, inspect all hoses for wear, including hairline
cracks and soft, bulging spots. Hoses that come in contact with brackets
or other
metal parts are prone to wear in these areas. Even if the hoses
pass visual inspection, we recommend changing all the
water hoses every 50,000 miles.
Brakes
This is your car's most important system. Many people
never look
at the master cylinder until they have brake failure. In late-model vehicles,
the master cylinders are often made of semi-opaque plastic that allows
inspecting the fluid level without taking off the cover, as is the case
with
cast-iron master cylinders.
When checking fluid level, also look for leaks where brake
lines attach
to the master cylinder bolts to the power booster. If you see signs of
brake fluid, tighten the fittings using a line wrench on brake-line nuts
to prevent against rounding off their shoulders. If the master cylinder
is leaking at the rear, replace it.
In the interest of safety, periodically get under the
vehicle
and inspect the rubber hoses that go to the wheels for excessive
wear or cracks; replace these hoses as necessary.
Finally, check brake shoes and/or caliper pads regularly.
Worn pads can damage the brake rotor or drum, turning a simple maintenance
job into an expensive replacement procedure.
For cars with disc braked, replace the pads with whatever style
the manufacturer recommends.
Lubrication
Adequate lubrication is one of the key factors in keeping
your engine
running well. The fluid level should be checked weekly, and the oil
should be changed frequently (every 3,000 miles in older engines),
to keep it clean. The most common effect of neglected oil inspection
is an engine seize or some other type of catastrophic failure.
Checking the oil level is a lot more convenient than replacing an engine.
Consult your owner's manual regarding oil-change intervals
and lubricant specifications. We recommend using synthetic oil because
it resists degradation better than conventional oil and stays cleaner
longer.
If you choose to use standard fossil oil, check your owner's manual for
the recommended viscosity in various weather conditions.
(Temperature seriously affects your oil and its lubricating effectiveness,
and using the incorrect weight? Such as straight 30 - weight
in winter in cold country, can be harmful to the internal parts you're
trying to protect).
Degreasers
Your engine compartment can be kept looking as good as
the day you purchased the car by cleaning it once a month.
Degreasing can be done when you wash the car.
A variety of engine products works extremely well, some
household degreasers are also effective. Spray the product on and let
it soak in,
then hose off the chemicals to reveal a sparkling-clean engine compartment.
Your local auto parts shop will have several biodegradable cleaners that
are environmentally friendly.
Read each label for the correct way to use
the product prior to purchasing it.
As a side benefit, leaks and other problems are easier
to spot
in clean engine compartments.
Wash and Polish
All the motor paint manufactures have to meet current
EPA standards,
motor paints have been evolving over the past several years.
New vehicles are painted with urethane products and most factories
use two and three stage paints. As a result, it's important to use your
car-care products that are designed for these finishes.
Carefully read the label prior to buying the wax or other surface
treatment to assure paint compatibility.
Between wax applications, an instant dealer product will
supply a 'wet' look to your finish as well as helping to
protect it from the elements.
If your finish is smooth and clean, use a pure carnuba wax with no cleaners.
Read the label and follow the directions for the best results.
Glass Care
It is extremely dangerous looking out of a dirty windscreen.
Dirty glass deflects the light and can make visibility dangerous
at best impossible at worst.
There are many products for washing your windscreen and
it is always advisable to wipe the product off with a paper towel that
doesn't leave
lint streaks. Consider cleaning your windscreen or at least use your
automatic washers and wipers before departing every morning.
For surface scratches, glass-polishing products can usually
make the windscreen appear as good as new. Stone chips and cracks can
be sometimes successfully filled with resin repair kits from the auto
parts shop. Alternately, windscreen repair shops and mobile services can
fill small chips and cracks so that they virtually disappear.
Wipers and Washers
The windscreen wipers and washers are very important.
They also need maintenance. Wiper blades should be replaced
once a year to maintain a perfect seal against the glass.
(Hardened rubber can scratch the glass surface
and will not remove water effectively).
When replacing wiper blades, make sure that the refills are the
exact same length as the OE ones. This will prevent metal
to glass contact and the serious scratching that usually results.
The washer bottle should be checked and filled with a
cleaning
product, not just water. Use washers regularly to make sure
they're functioning properly. Blocked squirt nozzles can be
cleaned by cleaning them with a small-gauge wire.
If the problem is the electric pump on the
washer-fluid bottle, replace the pump.
Lights
Another safety aspect that should be checked regularly
is the lights,
with exception of bright white halide gas headlights on expensive new
sports cars, many car lights are just bulbs, downsized versions
of the ones in your house. They also eventually burn out.
If any lights are not working, replace the bulb. If the
brake lights
are not working first check the bulbs, then the brake switch.
If your dash lights are not functioning, check for burned out fuses,
or for defective bulbs. For passenger safety, make sure that
the courtesy lights illuminate.
Don't forget any lights under the bonnet as well as the boot light.
Interior
The interior of your car is not a storage area for empty
cans
and sweet papers. It should be clean and well maintained.
The carpets should be vacuumed, the vinyl should be coated
with a protectant regularly. For cloth interiors, many products
are available at your auto parts shop, for shampooing
and stain removal. Leather interiors require special conditioners
to keep skins soft and pliable.
Always read the application directions on the container.
With today's technology, almost any type of interior problems
can be solved with a specific cleaner. Always read the label
and follow instructions exactly for optimum results. Sometimes
surface preparation is required prior to applying stain remover
or using other interior chemicals properly.
Joints
Under your car isn't as easy to inspect as the rest of
the vehicle,
it is just as vital. Underneath, all moving parts should be
inspected and lubricated every few months. Areas to be
particularly concerned with are driveshaft U-joints and in
front-wheel-drive cars, halfshafts and CV-joints. If you get
someone else to change your oil, ask to have these joints inspected
and lubed in conjunction with the oil change.
Fluid leaks are not only messy, they can be a warning
of a larger problem to come. Have your wheel bearings inspected and repacked
every 20,000 miles and all under-car fuel lines and brake lines
looked at as well. It's easy to forget what you can't see,
but some of the most critical items are underneath your car.
Tyre Care
Many companies now offer spray on tyre care products.
Some people
prefer the glossy-black look while others like a more natural semi-gloss
black. Common soap pads can be used to remove the mud and flies
from the sidewalls.
Most people are well aware that tyre failures can be fatal.
With this in mind, get in the habit of visually inspecting daily for sidewall
bulges and checking
air pressure at every petrol station. After all, a tyre pressure gauge
is a lot cheaper than a new set of tyres.
Proper inflation pressure makes tyres last longer, and
it also improves the vehicles fuel economy. Assuming that the wheels are
properly aligned, under-inflation causes the tyre shoulders to wear faster
than the centre, and over-inflation makes the centre strips go bald earlier
than the shoulders. Your owner's manual will recommend the correct pressure
for your vehicle.
Assuming that the care is aligned properly, inexpensive
tyres should last in excess of 30,000 miles; expensive brands often go
over 50,000. Conversely, worn tyres may work okay in dry weather, but
they can become dangerous in the rain. Check the sidewalls for cracking
regularly. Old tyres, even with low milage, can be dangerous because the
rubber cracks and hardens over time. Any tyre over five years old should
be changed. Blowouts can be fatal.
Wheels
Now almost all new vehicles are factory equipped with
alloy wheels.
Some of these wheels have a natural finish, some have a natural finish
with a clear coating and some are powder coated. Regardless,
all eventually get covered with disc-brake dust and road dirt.
At the auto parts shop, it is important to select a cleaner
that's designed
for your wheel type. For example, clear coated wheels should be
cleaned with a different cleaner than a natural finish alloys or steel
wheels.
Check with your manufacturer for your specific wheel type and select
the appropriate product.
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