Many people take good care of their car. Washing the car is a marginal way to keep the vehicle clean, it is also necessary to protect the paint and to check parts and fluids.
1. Joints :
All moving parts, car-fuel lines, brake lines and wheel bearings should be inspected, repacked and lubricated every few months.
Areas to be particularly concerned with are driveshaft U joints and in front-wheel-drive cars, half shafts and CV-joints.
2. Belts & Hoses :
Frequently check the engine’s accessory belts, upper and lower radiator.
Look for any visible damage, abnormal wear or small hairline cracks and replace if found.
Inspect all hoses for wear and try to change heater hoses every 50,000 miles.
3. Brakes :
One of the most important parts of the car is its brakes.
Check the master cylinder, brake shoes and caliper pads periodically.
If you see any signs of brake fluid, tighten the fittings using a line wrench on brake-line nuts to prevent against rounding off their shoulders.
For vehicles with disk brakes, replace the pads with whatever style the manufacturer recommends.
4. Wipers and Polish :
Read the label before buying the wax or other surface treatment to assure paint compatibility.
Wash your windshield with a proper product and wipe it with a paper towel.
If there are scratches on the surface, use glass polishing products to make the windshield look better.
Windshield wiper blades should be replaced once a year to maintain a perfect seal against the glass.
Windshield washer reservoir should also be checked and filled with a cleaning product, not just water.
5. Lights :
Turn on your emergency flasher and see if all four lights flash.
Then individually try the right and left turn signal to make sure they are working front and rear.
It is very dangerous to drive a car with faulty brake lights.
6. Tire care :
Get into the habit of visually inspecting sidewall bulges and air pressure checking at every gas stop because a tire pressure gauge is cheaper than a new set of tires.
Proper inflation pressure makes tires last longer and it also improves the vehicle’s fuel economy.
Inexpensive tires can last for 30,000 miles while expensive brands often go over 50,000.
Periodically inspect the sidewalls for cracking or splitting.
7. Wheels :
New vehicles are always factory-equipped with alloy wheels which get caked with disc-brake dust and road grime.
It’s important to select a cleaner that’s designed for your wheel type.
For example, clear-coated wheels should be cleaned with a different cleaner than natural-finish alloy or steel wheels.
1. Joints :
All moving parts, car-fuel lines, brake lines and wheel bearings should be inspected, repacked and lubricated every few months.
Areas to be particularly concerned with are driveshaft U joints and in front-wheel-drive cars, half shafts and CV-joints.
2. Belts & Hoses :
Frequently check the engine’s accessory belts, upper and lower radiator.
Look for any visible damage, abnormal wear or small hairline cracks and replace if found.
Inspect all hoses for wear and try to change heater hoses every 50,000 miles.
3. Brakes :
One of the most important parts of the car is its brakes.
Check the master cylinder, brake shoes and caliper pads periodically.
If you see any signs of brake fluid, tighten the fittings using a line wrench on brake-line nuts to prevent against rounding off their shoulders.
For vehicles with disk brakes, replace the pads with whatever style the manufacturer recommends.
4. Wipers and Polish :
Read the label before buying the wax or other surface treatment to assure paint compatibility.
Wash your windshield with a proper product and wipe it with a paper towel.
If there are scratches on the surface, use glass polishing products to make the windshield look better.
Windshield wiper blades should be replaced once a year to maintain a perfect seal against the glass.
Windshield washer reservoir should also be checked and filled with a cleaning product, not just water.
5. Lights :
Turn on your emergency flasher and see if all four lights flash.
Then individually try the right and left turn signal to make sure they are working front and rear.
It is very dangerous to drive a car with faulty brake lights.
6. Tire care :
Get into the habit of visually inspecting sidewall bulges and air pressure checking at every gas stop because a tire pressure gauge is cheaper than a new set of tires.
Proper inflation pressure makes tires last longer and it also improves the vehicle’s fuel economy.
Inexpensive tires can last for 30,000 miles while expensive brands often go over 50,000.
Periodically inspect the sidewalls for cracking or splitting.
7. Wheels :
New vehicles are always factory-equipped with alloy wheels which get caked with disc-brake dust and road grime.
It’s important to select a cleaner that’s designed for your wheel type.
For example, clear-coated wheels should be cleaned with a different cleaner than natural-finish alloy or steel wheels.
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