Method - 2 / Basics of Car Maintenance

Conducting Regular Maintenance .

Change the oil every 3,000 miles, or as directed in your owner’s manual. Motor oil is the lubricant that keeps your engine running smoothly. Running your engine without enough oil or oil that has broken down over time can result in significant damage to your engine. Some vehicles do not require oil changes every 3,000 miles, so refer to your owner’s manual to see what the manufacturer recommends for your vehicle. To change your oil, remove the oil drain plug from the bottom of the oil pan and drain the oil into a container. Replace the oil filter and refill the engine with the correct amount of oil as listed in your owner’s manual.

• When you change your oil, you should always replace your oil filter as well.
• Check your owner’s manual for the proper oil capacity to ensure you fill the engine up with the correct amount of oil.

   

Rotate your tires every 6,000 miles. You can increase the lifespan of your tires by rotating them regularly. To rotate your tires, simply switch them from one side to the other, the front to the back, or both. The position your wheel is in in relation to the car affects how the tread will wear down, so rotating your tires to different locations on the car will ensure the tread wears down evenly, whereas leaving them in one place may cause one area of the tire to wear down more quickly than others.

• Rotating your tires can make your tires last significantly longer.
• You will not need to remove the tires from the wheels, instead simply bolt the wheel and tire together to a different corner of the car.

Replace your brake pads every 20,000 miles or as needed. There are a number of variables that come into play when determining how often to replace your brake pads. Aggressive driving, softer compound brake pads, or frequently driving in traffic can all reduce the lifespan of your pads. Most brake pads come equipped with a small piece of metal that will rub on the rotor when the pads are too low. This causes your brakes to squeak and squeal. If you notice your brakes making a high pitched noise, they likely need to be replaced.

• Always replace the pads on both sides of the car at once. Never replace just one brake pad.
• Your front brakes will need to be replaced more often than your rears, as they do the majority of the work to stop the vehicle.

Put in new spark plugs every 30,000 miles. Spark plugs ignite the mixture of air and fuel inside your engine to produce power, but over time they can become corroded. Corroded spark plugs have a limited ability to ignite the air/fuel mixture and can cause your engine to misfire or run poorly. A failed spark plug may result in that cylinder of your car ceasing to fire at all. Use a spark plug wrench to remove old spark plugs and replace them with matching new ones.

• You may need to adjust the gap between the spark plug and the prong sticking out of it using a spark plug gapping tool. You can find the proper gap measurement in your vehicle’s service manual.
• Make sure to purchase the right spark plugs for your specific year, make and model vehicle. Ask an employee at your local auto parts store to look up the correct spark plugs for your application.

Replace your air filter every 45,000 miles. Your engine requires a good source of air as much as it needs gasoline to function, and over time your air filter can become clogged with dust, dirt and oil. Replacing your air filter every 45,000 miles can ensure your engine continues to run properly. Locate your air box by referring to your vehicle’s owner’s manual, then unlatch the clips to gain access to the air filter. Remove the old one and drop a new one into the air box in its place.

• A clogged up air filter can reduce your gas mileage and the amount of power the vehicle produces.
• Some aftermarket air filters can be cleaned every 45,000 miles instead of being replaced.

Install a new fuel filter every 60,000 miles. Gasoline is often quite dirty, and the sediment would clog up your fuel system and prevent the car from running without a fuel filter. The filter is often located just past the fuel pump on the underside of the vehicle. When functioning properly, it prevents dirt and grime from reaching the fuel system in your engine. Of course, over time this filter will get clogged too, preventing fuel from reaching your engine at all. To change your fuel filter, remove the two plastic clips holding the filter in place and slide a new one in every 60,000 miles to prevent this from occurring.

Drain and flush your coolant system every two to five years. Like oil, coolant can eventually go bad. When coolant goes bad, its ability to regulate the temperature of your engine becomes compromised and your vehicle may overheat. Combat this by draining your coolant system, flushing it with a hose, then filling it up with a new coolant and water mixture every two to five years

• If You drive your vehicle aggressively or in harsh conditions, you should drain and flush your coolant more often.
• If your vehicle has been running unusually hot or cold, it is likely due to coolant that needs to be replaced.
• If you break the plastic clips that hold the fuel filter in place, you can purchase new ones at your local auto parts store. Your replacement filter may have even come with some.
• You will need to jack the car up to gain access to the fuel filter in most vehicles.

Install new windshield wipers as needed. Your windshield wipers may not seem like an important part of vehicle maintenance, but worn out wipers can put you in danger if you find yourself in a heavy rain storm. As your windshield wipers wear out, they will begin to fail to displace the water on the windshield. Prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures can cause windshield wipers to wear out prematurely

• Make sure to look for the correct size windshield wipers for your year, make and model vehicle.
• It is not uncommon for your vehicle to require two different sized windshield wipers.