Affordable Auto Services is your professional and friendly automotive servicing and repair shop in Lincoln Street, Hamilton.
It's that time of year again. Before you head out on that Snow-bound road trip, be sure your car or 4X4 is ready for duty. This winter maintenance check list is just what the doc ordered. Practicing safer driving techniques on the road is a key to road safety, proper care and maintenance of your vehicle also plays a crucial role in getting you safely to your destination. After all, proper maintenance may mean the difference between getting home safely or breaking down in the middle of nowhere. Here are some essential car maintenance tips for keeping you and your car safe and healthy.
It may seem obvious, but the importance of checking the oil regularly cannot be stressed enough. Checking it and changing it often is probably the single most important thing you can do to keep your car's engine in good condition.
This is one of the easier maintenance tasks, as you'll often find someone, hopefully not a policeman, will tell you that one of your tail lights isn't working properly. Having working head and tail lights is absolutely crucial to your safety. Have them fixed as soon as possible whenever one isn't working and avoid driving with one light out, if at all possible.
Check the tyre pressure and also the wheel alignment often. Invest in a tyre pressure gauge. Keep the tyre pressure as your vehicle owner's manual recommends. Tyre pressure affects many aspects of your car, including the amount of fuel it uses, the handling and performance, as well as the comfort and smoothness of the ride. Rotate your tyres after every other oil change. Proper tyre rotation helps your tyres to wear more evenly. Also, keep a check on the tread wear of your tyres and get new tyres when needed.
Check your transmission fluid according to your vehicle owner's manual recommendations. Top it up if needed, but do not over fill, as overfilling can damage your transmission.
If you don't have enough coolant, you run the risk of overheating your engine and damaging it. Keep the coolant level topped up, especially if you're going on a long trip during warmer months.
There are numerous belts in your vehicle, including the ones involved with the running of your alternator, your air conditioning and other parts. Be sure to check the rubber and the belt when you are performing your regular, under the hood maintenance
Make sure the contacts on your battery terminal are clean. Often dirt and grime can build up on them, affecting performance.
Any modern car includes warning lights for various parts of the vehicle should the on-board computer detect something isn't working properly. When you see one of these lights go on, don't ignore it. Check your vehicle owner's manual to confirm what you need to check if it isn't obvious.
Be sure to read your vehicle owner's manual, the manufacturer will give you many recommendations for proper care and maintenance of your vehicle and often provide you with a check list and recommendations for when and how to perform maintenance. Also, get yourself a copy of your vehicle's auto repair manual. If you need to do a repair yourself, these manuals will walk you through step by step.
Book your vehicle in with us today!