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Exterior Lights
If you’re not checking your exterior lights on a regular basis, chances are you won’t know when one malfunctions until something unfortunate happens. This could be an accident you cause because one of your blinkers is out, or a traffic stop by police because of a broken tail light. Don’t be a victim of your inaction. Be proactive and check all of the following lights every few months, and especially before you plan to drive a long distance.
● Headlights, including fog and dim features
● Parking lights
● Tail lights
● Brake lights (get a friend to step on your brake while you inspect the rear of the car)
● Turn signal lights, front and rear
● Hazard lights
Tire Pressure
Not only is correct tire pressure crucial to the safe operation of your vehicle, it can help save you money on gas as well. Refer to your owner’s manual for your car’s recommended tire pressure, and then drop by a gas station to add air, if necessary. Air compressors generally have tire pressure gauges attached, but you can also buy an inexpensive handheld tire pressure gauge and keep it in your glovebox for better convenience.
Tire Wear and Tear
While you’re checking your tire pressure, take a look at the wear on your tires as well. The last thing you want is a worn tire blowing out on the freeway. Getting your tires rotated and balanced when you should will ensure that your tires wear evenly and improve the handling of your car, but your tires will eventually wear out and need to be replaced. If you’re not sure how worn is too worn, do the penny test. It’s a good idea to perform this test yourself before going to a tire dealer because while most people are trustworthy, there have been cases of customers getting talked into buying four brand new tires that they don’t actually need.
Fluid Levels
Fluids are absolutely vital to the performance of your car and should be checked once a month. Even if you have a new car with every indicator light under the sun, indicator lights can malfunction, so check your fluids anyway. Besides the obvious catastrophe that can occur if your engine runs out of oil, monitoring the level of your fluids can help you circumvent other problems too, like a thermostat malfunction with your radiator or a leak in your transmission. A quicker than usual depletion of fluid levels can help diagnose deeper issues before they leave you stranded on the side of the road. Refer to your user’s manual or Youtube videos if you’re under the hood and have trouble navigating which reservoir is for which of these fluids you should be checking on a regular basis:
● Oil
● Transmission
● Brake
● Power steering
● Coolant
● Washer
Air Filters
Do you like breathing clean air? Of course you do. So does your car, and with regular changing of your car’s cabin and engine air filters, you’ll both breathe easier. Dirty air filters allow road grit, pollutants and other debris to enter your car intake, and the interior of your car. In your cabin, this results in you breathing dirty air; in your car’s intake, it clogs up the works and affects performance. Just like your central heat or air conditioning system at home, your car’s air filters should be changed according to the manufacturer’s recommendation. Air filters are cheap and changing them takes less than five minutes – more than worth the investment for the trouble it saves.
Windshield Wipers
Another cheap and easy fix that can have serious consequences if neglected, streaks all over your windshield can block your view and inhibit your ability to react. Windshield wipers degrade quickly because of their prolonged exposure to the elements, so at the first sign of a streak, it’s time to toss them and get new ones.
Can excellent preventative car maintenance make you a safer driver and decrease your insurance premium? Contact Gino Mattunts at Allstate Burbank for questions on car insurance and all your other insurance needs.
