Guidelines and Tips for Vehicle Owners

Guidelines and Tips for Vehicle Owners
By Devlin Reasy of Custom Autobody & Repair in Baudette, MN

It's important to keep your vehicle well-maintained, so that it runs efficiently and safely. Studied have shown that lack of proper auto maintenance causes about 5 percent of vehicle fatalities. By keeping up on the maintenance of your vehicle, not only will you be keeping it running safely, but you'll extend its life and reduce its negative impact on the environment.

Important Regular Maintenance

Keep your tires inflated properly:
Checking your tires once a month is one of the easiest and least expensive things you can do to for good fuel efficiency, as well as safety maintenance. If all 4 of your tires are not inflated to the proper level, your fuel efficiency suffers. Remember to check the spare tire also.

Check All Fluid Levels:
Your vehicle's fluids are its "life blood", and need to be kept at proper levels in order to run efficiently and safely. Check all fluid levels on a regular basis, including your power steering, transmission, brake, antifreeze and windshield washer fluids. It's a good idea to check your oil level as well.

Get Your Oil Changed:
As a general rule, most owners' manuals suggest having your oil changed, as well as the oil filter, every 3,000 to 4,000 miles.

Keep Your Engine Tuned:
Your fuel efficiency can be reduced by as much as 30 percent if you have fouled spark plugs, or if your fuel injector is restricted in any way.

Check Your Battery and Cables:
Battery cables and posts should be checked regularly to ensure that they are not corroded, and if they are, they should be cleaned. If your battery is not a "maintenance-free" battery, you should also be checking battery fluid and filling it as needed.

Inspect Engine Belts:
If your belts are worn, your engine performance will suffer. Inspect them on a regular basis, looking for any cracks or missing sections.

Check Your Air Filter:
Your air filtration system is important to the performance of your vehicle. A good rule of thumb is to have your air filter checked during every other oil change, replacing it if necessary.

Check Your Lights:
It is unsafe to have any of the lights on your vehicle not working properly. Check all lights frequently, including your headlights, brake and tail lights, and turn signals.

Keep Your Windshield Wiper Blades in Good Condition:
Good windshield wiper blades are important to your vision and safety while driving. They should be checked regularly to make sure there are no cracks or tears, and to ensure they are making good contact with the windshield. Replace them immediately if you spot damage or if window streaking starts to occur, and plan on always replacing them at least once a year.

Keep the Chassis Lubricated:
The moving parts of your vehicle's suspension system need to be kept lubricated in order to work properly. This step will also extend the life of your vehicle.

Important Emergency Supplies
Sometimes, even with the best of vehicle maintenance, breakdowns occur. Or, you might be involved in an accident, or stuck in bad weather. You should make sure to always be prepared by having a safety kit in your vehicle. This safety kit should include:

- Basic tools, such as screwdrivers, pliers and an adjustable wrench
- Jumper cables - at least 8-10 feet
- Seat belt knife
- First-aid kit
- Blankets or sleeping bag
- Bottled water