Car maintenance checklist

Car maintenance basics

It's really not that difficult to keep your car in good shape. Here are the basics:
- Read your car owner's manual, it has all the information on car maintenance as well as safety precautions.
- Keep all the fluids (e.g. engine oil, transmission fluid, coolant, etc.) clean and topped up.
- Follow your maintenance schedule, there is a number of things that need to be regularly serviced or replaced at certain intervals (e.g. brakes, air filter, timing belt, spark plugs, etc.)
- Check tire pressure regularly.
- Change you windshield wipers if they don't clean properly.
- Wash and wax your vehicle once in a while to keep the car finish shiny and protected from corrosion.
- Deal with any problems as soon as they arise, before they become more serious and require expensive repairs.
- Use only original parts.
- At least once a year have your car check out in a garage.

How to check the engine oil

Check the engine oil regularly, especially if you notice that the oil level drops between the oil changes. The engine oil cools down and lubricates the engine. Driving with very low oil level can cause engine problems.

Park your vehicle on a level ground. Set the parking brake. Make sure the transmission is in "Park". Stop the engine. Wait for a minute or two to let the engine oil drain into the oil pan. Pull the engine oil dipstick. If you don't know where is it located, check your owner's manual, usually it has a bright handle saying "Engine Oil".

Wipe the dipstick off. Insert it back fully. Pull it out again and check the oil level.

The oil level should be between the "Low" and "Full" marks. In this photo the level is OK and the oil looks clean.

Check the oil condition: If it's way too black, as in the left photo, it's definitely time to change it. If it's brown, but still clean and transparent, as in the right photo, it's OK. If the engine oil has a "coffee with milk" color it means that the engine coolant mixes with the oil. This is a sign of some internal engine problem, such as, for example, a leaking head gasket - have your car checked out. If the oil looks OK, but the level is low, you can just top it up.

To top up the engine oil use a recommended type of oil; for example, if your owner's manual or the oil filler cap indicates SAE 5W-20, use the SAE 5W-20 oil. If your engine needs a synthetic oil, use only synthetic oil. You can find the recommended oil type for your car in your owner's manual.

How to top up the engine oil: Add a little amount of the oil into the oil filler neck. Wait for a minute to let the oil to pour down. Check the oil level again with the dipstick. If it's still low, add some more. But don't overfill it. Don't forget to install the dipstick back and close the oil filler cap when you finished.                http://www.carbibles.com