5 New Years Resolutions For Your Car
Posted on July 31, 2020
It's hard to say if New Year's resolutions are as big a thing today as they once were, but it doesn't mean they're not still a very good thing as long as you stick to them. We know about all the usual ones of eating more healthily, taking more exercise, quitting smoking, or cutting down on drinking alcohol. But there are some that require a little less willpower that can also deliver impressively beneficial results. And making a concerted effort to stay on top of your car care and car maintenance outside of the scheduled auto service is one of them. So, here are five New Year's resolutions for your car you can make that will pay off handsomely if you stick to them.
Look after your tyres
Make the effort to regularly check there's enough tread on each of your tyres, and at the same time check to make sure they are wearing evenly. Don't neglect rotating them regularly, so get professionals to do it for you if you don't want to do it yourself. The tyres at the front will usually wear faster than those at the back, but if the wear is uneven on any particular getting the wheel alignment checked will probably solve the problem. Also make a point of checking the pressures on a weekly basis, and that's because over or under inflated tyres can present their own set of problems you'll want to avoid.
Keep fluids at the right levels
Several different fluids are in your car doing all sorts of very important jobs, but paying attention to the oil, coolant and the windshield wash is a resolution you should make. Don't go below the minimum level of oil as the potential risks can be catastrophic, but don't put too much in either. Coolant also needs keeping at the right level, and make sure the right amount of antifreeze is in there too, especially when winter is approaching. Most of us keep up with the windshield washer water, but keep it properly maintained so the glass is properly cleaned and to prevent the water from freezing when it's extremely cold.
Check your lights
There's nothing like a light out on a vehicle to present the police with a reason to pull you over for a chat, so at least once a month have someone to help you check that all your lights are in working order and be sure to replace non-working lights that have gone bad right away. Obviously, this is particularly important for anyone who drives after dark on a regular basis.
Keep an eye on your vehicle's belts
At the front of your vehicle's engine you'll find a number of different rubber drive belts that loop around various pulleys, and they have the important job of driving just about everything from the alternator to the air conditioning compressor. Any rubber will perish over time, and especially in the kind of challenging conditions found in a red-hot engine bay. Listen for any unusual noises from the likes of the timing belt and accessory drive belt, and get a professional to check them out if you're not too sure about any of them. They probably need checking around every 25,000 miles or so, and replacing every 50,000 miles.
Don't neglect your battery
Battery terminals or contacts are not as clean as they might be and could be making it more difficult than it needs to be for the electrical current to flow around the electrical system. Every few months or so, remove the terminal caps and clean each contact with a wire brush to produce a good clean metal contact surface. Do just the same thing with the terminal caps themselves, and remember to reattach them correctly. If the battery isn't charging efficiently get it checked out or replaced, especially if it's been in place for five years or more.
For more information about basic maintenance of your car, or to book it in for anything sorting you're not comfortable doing yourself, get in touch with us today here at Caledon Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.