HOW TO CARRY OUT A ROUTINE AND PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ON VEHICLES

HOW TO CARRY OUT A ROUTINE AND PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ON VEHICLES

Auto maintenance describes the act of inspecting or testing the condition of a car subsystems (e.g., engine, transmission lines) and servicing or replacing parts and fluids.

Regular (Routine) maintenance is critical to ensure the safety, reliability, drivability, comfort and longer life span of the car. When carrying out a preventive maintenance, a number of parts are replaced to avoid major damage or for safety reasons, e.g. brake pad replacement, ABS sensor replacement

The actual schedule of car maintenance varies depending on the year, make, and model of a car, its driving conditions and driver behavior. Car makers recommend the so-called extreme or the ideal service schedule based on impact parameters such as

·         number of trips and distance traveled per day

·         extreme hot or cold climate conditions

·         mountainous, dusty or de-iced roads

·         heavy stop-and-go vs. long-distance cruising

·         towing a trailer or other heavy load (Wikipedia )

Experienced service advisors in dealerships and independent shops recommend schedule intervals, which are often in between the ideal or extreme service schedule. They base it on the driving conditions and behavior of the car owner or driver.

LIST OF AUTO MAINTENANCE THAT CAN BE CARRIED OUT

·         car wash

·         check, clean or replace battery terminals and top up battery fluid

·         inspect or replace brake pads

·         check/replace the engine oil and replace oil filters

·         check/replace fuel filters

·         check or flush brake fluids

·         check or flush transmission fluids

·         check or flush power steering fluids

·         check or refill windshield washer fluid

·         inspect or replace windshield wipers

·         inspect tires for pressure and wear

·         tire balancing

·         Tire rotation

·         Wheel alignment check if rubber boots are cracked and need replacement

·         test electronics, eg anti lock braking system or ABS

·         read fault codes from the electronic control unit (ECU)

·         check and flush engine coolant

·         inspect or replace spark plugs

·         Inspect or replace air filter.

·         check all lights

Most of this maintenance can be done by the individual owner of the vehicle such as carwashing and cleaning, checking tire pressures with gauges while the intricate ones like schedule maintenance and corrective maintenance is usually been done in the workshop and by experts in such field or category. It is important to always pay attention to the sounds and physical condition of the car as this will help to eliminate cost which might be incurred during a break down.

Written by ; Maduka Tony