Your Car’s Most Important Maintenance Checks

The Checklist You Can’t Ignore

Basic car maintenance is so important, yet many car drivers are below par where it comes to conducting regular maintenance checks. Cars have so many moving parts, it’s hard to keep track of every single service item. Here’s a listing of service items that should not be ignored by car owners.

Oil and fluid changes. This is one of the most ignored maintenance checks. Yet your car can gain as much as 20 horsepower with a good oil change alone. This is more important especially if your vehicle is high-performing. Since every vehicle has a different oil change period depending on what type of oil it uses, your owner’s manual and other vehicle forums can tell you how long you should go between changes. Other fluids including transmission fluid, coolant, brake fluid, and power steering fluid, even windshield wiper fluid are equally important to check.

The air filter. Checking the air filter also goes with your oil change. In most cases, these are very easy to swap out. Change your air filter every 12 months or 12,000 miles. However, if you live in a dusty climate or drive a high-performance car, it has to be changed more often.

Brake pads and rotors. Brakes should be in good order since they stop you when you have to, especially in an emergency. Different cars have varying levels of brake life, plus they last as long as they tolerate your driving style. It’s time for a replacement if you notice a pulsating feel from the brake pedal.

Tire replacement and rotation. It’s important to check tire wear and pressures regularly and change out tires when they are worn. Check tire tread depths as well to ensure they are not close to balding or you can lose road traction. Also, rotate your tires to ensure they wear evenly unless your car has different wheel sizes in the front and rear, which means you’ll need new tires more frequently.

The battery. Batteries generally last three to five years, so this is one important item that could be easily forgotten to check. Be sure to keep tabs on your battery in every one of your maintenance checks.

Hoses and belts. They need to be changed during the life of the car, and if they are forgotten, can drastically impede performance. The timing belt can sometimes last up to around 70,000 miles, and are one of the more significant items to forget to change.

Maintaining Services for Top Items in Seattle

Rest assured that under our care, your car’s top maintenance items are checked and documented carefully and prudently at Greenwood Collision, your auto body shop in Seattle.