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
Showing posts with label winter prep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winter prep. Show all posts
Friday, February 11, 2011
Driving in a Winter Wonderland
Driving in a Winter Wonderland
Source: Advance Auto Parts
The holiday season is upon us and the last thing on your mind is getting your vehicle ready for the winter to come. You have a long list of people to shop for, food to prepare and decorations to hang. But in order to accomplish most of these tasks you rely on our vehicle, which is a necessity especially during the holiday season. Even if you are not traveling, your friends and family most likely are, so we would like to offer some tips for winterizing your vehicle in order to maximize safety on the road and give you some tips on how to avoid or be able handle unsafe weather conditions. We all prepare for winter by getting out our winter coats, gloves, scarves and hats. Preparing your vehicle for driving in harsh winter weather isn't much harder. So, keep in mind that you will want to complete this checklist at least before the first snow fall.
1. Inspect your antifreeze while your engine is cold by using a tester to check the mixture for its freeze point. A 50/50 ratio means 50% distilled water and 50% antifreeze, which is sufficient in most climates, except in extreme cold.
2. Have your charging system checked - cold weather starts make the vehicle battery work much harder and getting stranded in the cold is no fun!
3. Change your oil and oil filter. Clean, high quality engine oil goes a long way in protecting the motor in cold start situations. Use the oil recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
4. Visually inspect all lights; marker bulbs, tail lights, third level brake lights, especially headlights and driving lights. Daylight savings time requires bulbs to work longer hours.
5. Tire Tread condition; check it yourself, or have it checked. Winter driving requires good traction in snow and ice. Quality tire tread sheds the snow, ice and road grime more quickly, providing better traction for improved safety. Check your tire pressure regularly, especially in colder temperatures. Follow the recommended PSI found on the driver's side door post for maximum traction.
6. Visibility is key to your safety; make sure that your wiper blades are in top condition, to fully clear your windshield, and back window if the vehicle is equipped. Road salt and slush can jeopardize visibility. Use washer fluid containing de-icer and Rain-X Treatment on windows to avoid the chiseling of ice early in the morning.
7. Inspect your engine's belts and hoses. Cracked, frayed or worn out rubber won't stand up to temperature extremes. Don't get stranded on your next trip because of a $10.00 belt or hose!
8. Replace the Cabin Air Filter if the vehicle is equipped. Outside contaminants from Fall and Summer driving are stranded in the cabin air filter and running the heater on "high" in the extreme cold only sends the micro-particles deeper into the vehicle.
9. Protect your vehicle's paint. Rain, snow and salt are extremely tough on paint. A tough coating of quality car wax will add another barrier in-between road grime and your vehicle's paint.
10. Prepare a roadside emergency kit including a flashlight with fresh batteries, a blanket, food bars, water bottles, cell phone, jumper cables, flares, Fix-a-Flat, HELP Sign, and a first aid kit.
When driving in the snow and ice, abrupt movements of any kind are extremely dangerous and can cause severe accidents. Be sure to travel at a safe and cautious speed, which creates as much possible down force on the tires. Leave extra space between you and other vehicles, both in front of you and behind you, and drive with your headlights on, during both day and night, for better visibility. Again, visibility is key, especially during inclement weather; make sure to defrost and remove ice from all windows before driving.
Source: Advance Auto Parts
The holiday season is upon us and the last thing on your mind is getting your vehicle ready for the winter to come. You have a long list of people to shop for, food to prepare and decorations to hang. But in order to accomplish most of these tasks you rely on our vehicle, which is a necessity especially during the holiday season. Even if you are not traveling, your friends and family most likely are, so we would like to offer some tips for winterizing your vehicle in order to maximize safety on the road and give you some tips on how to avoid or be able handle unsafe weather conditions. We all prepare for winter by getting out our winter coats, gloves, scarves and hats. Preparing your vehicle for driving in harsh winter weather isn't much harder. So, keep in mind that you will want to complete this checklist at least before the first snow fall.
1. Inspect your antifreeze while your engine is cold by using a tester to check the mixture for its freeze point. A 50/50 ratio means 50% distilled water and 50% antifreeze, which is sufficient in most climates, except in extreme cold.
2. Have your charging system checked - cold weather starts make the vehicle battery work much harder and getting stranded in the cold is no fun!
3. Change your oil and oil filter. Clean, high quality engine oil goes a long way in protecting the motor in cold start situations. Use the oil recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
4. Visually inspect all lights; marker bulbs, tail lights, third level brake lights, especially headlights and driving lights. Daylight savings time requires bulbs to work longer hours.
5. Tire Tread condition; check it yourself, or have it checked. Winter driving requires good traction in snow and ice. Quality tire tread sheds the snow, ice and road grime more quickly, providing better traction for improved safety. Check your tire pressure regularly, especially in colder temperatures. Follow the recommended PSI found on the driver's side door post for maximum traction.
6. Visibility is key to your safety; make sure that your wiper blades are in top condition, to fully clear your windshield, and back window if the vehicle is equipped. Road salt and slush can jeopardize visibility. Use washer fluid containing de-icer and Rain-X Treatment on windows to avoid the chiseling of ice early in the morning.
7. Inspect your engine's belts and hoses. Cracked, frayed or worn out rubber won't stand up to temperature extremes. Don't get stranded on your next trip because of a $10.00 belt or hose!
8. Replace the Cabin Air Filter if the vehicle is equipped. Outside contaminants from Fall and Summer driving are stranded in the cabin air filter and running the heater on "high" in the extreme cold only sends the micro-particles deeper into the vehicle.
9. Protect your vehicle's paint. Rain, snow and salt are extremely tough on paint. A tough coating of quality car wax will add another barrier in-between road grime and your vehicle's paint.
10. Prepare a roadside emergency kit including a flashlight with fresh batteries, a blanket, food bars, water bottles, cell phone, jumper cables, flares, Fix-a-Flat, HELP Sign, and a first aid kit.
When driving in the snow and ice, abrupt movements of any kind are extremely dangerous and can cause severe accidents. Be sure to travel at a safe and cautious speed, which creates as much possible down force on the tires. Leave extra space between you and other vehicles, both in front of you and behind you, and drive with your headlights on, during both day and night, for better visibility. Again, visibility is key, especially during inclement weather; make sure to defrost and remove ice from all windows before driving.
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