Common Car Maintenance Mistakes

A part of owning a car is coming to terms with the fact that things are going to go wrong. Parts are going to fail, bulbs will burn out, engine lights will come on, and belts will need to be replaced. Maintenance is inevitable whether you choose to do it yourself or take your car to a professional. There are a number of big mistakes do-it-your-selfers and sometimes even professional mechanics can make when “fixing” vehicle. This article (http://auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/vehicle-maintenance/10-serious-mistakes-car-maintenance.htm#page=0) tells you some of the most common mistakes to watch for. Here are some of the highlights:

·        Roaming around with burned out lights – Headlights and high beams are easy to spot
when they burn out, but tail lights, brake lights, and running lights burn out
too. This is one of the cheapest and easiest car maintenance tasks, so don’t
put it off!

·        Attempting a jump start without really knowing how – Sending electricity to places it
isn’t supposed to be can fry your car…or you! Don’t let that happen. Learn how
to jump start a car before you actually have to do it.

·        Assuming bald tires will last a bit longer – Tires give a car the proper contact
with road it needs to drive safely. If your tires are bald the car’s contact
with the road isn’t so good anymore. Get a new set when the tires go bald, even
if the tread looks decent.

·        Forgetting to torque the lug nuts – After changing or rotating wheels you need to make
sure there is a proper amount of force applied to the lug nuts. If there’s not,
eventually the pressure of driving will force the lug nuts off, which could
cause your tire to leave your car while driving. No one wants that.

·        Forgetting to replace drained fluids – Gasoline isn’t the only important fluid in your
car. Oil and transmission fluid keep your engine running smoothly. Brake fluid
helps maintain proper pressure in your brakes. Coolant keeps things from
getting too hot or too cold. These things are all important in keeping your car
from having serious issues, so always triple-check that the fluids have been
refilled after being drained.

·       Ignoring warning lights – Warning lights come on for one reason only, something
isn’t functioning right. The longer you let it go, the more serious the issue
can become. Even if you think it’s something simple like your gas cap not being
tight enough, get those warning lights checked!

 

Read all ten maintenance mistakes here: http://bit.ly/18YoBa2.