5 Car Maintenance Mistakes
Your car is an investment. Regular preventative maintenance is one of the best ways that drivers can keep their vehicle running smoothly and prolong its longevity. This will help save you time and money in the long-run, since you will be able to identify and prevent costly damage before it occurs.
However, keeping up with regular tune-ups is easier said than done. If you’re not a natural-born mechanic, here is a list of the most common car maintenance mistakes to avoid.
1. Skipping Oil Change
Having regular oil changes in Longmont is one of the most crucial car maintenance tasks. Oil keeps your engine lubricated and helps siphon away heat, reducing the likelihood of damage or overheating. While the general rule of thumb used to be having a replacement done every 3,000 miles, drivers can now go anywhere from 5,000 to 7,500 miles before needing to have an oil change done.
2. Skipping Brake Checks
Are your brakes making an annoying squeaking or grinding sound? Don’t just raise the radio volume and hope it goes away. Your brakes are an important part of your vehicle’s safety features, and these strange sounds are often a sign that your brake pads are worn. Another common sign is a brake pedal that feels spongy or takes too long to engage when you press down.
3. Ignoring the Check Engine Light
Even if the sign of trouble isn’t immediately obvious, there’s a reason why your check engine light is on. While this can sometimes be due to a bad sensor, there might be something else amiss with your vehicle. Having your light checked is quick and easy, but waiting can result in expensive issues down the road that could have been avoided.
4. Using Home Glass Cleaner On Windshields
Though it might seem convenient, never use home glass cleaner on your vehicle’s rear windshield. These products often contain ammonia, which can deteriorate the thin red wires that are responsible for defrosting your glass. Instead, use a product specifically formulated for auto glass.
5. Not Checking Your Fluids
Though motor oil is the lifeline of your vehicle, it’s not the only fluid that needs to be checked and replaced regularly. Your engine coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and transmission fluid all need to be checked, replaced, and/or topped off regularly. Each fluid has its own respective reservoir under your engine hood that will let you see where your current levels are.
