Car Care
Checking levels:
Oil Levels
Checking your car's oil level is the single most important thing you can do to extend the life of your car's engine.
Oil is the life blood of your car. Without it, you wouldn't get down the road. Follow these quick steps and you'll have an important part checked off your car's regular maintenance list.
First, make sure you park your car on level ground. You don't want all the oil sloshing to the back while you're checking the dipstick at the front.
The dipstick is a long rod that goes deep into your engine to check the oil level. It's usually easy to get to, and should have an orange or yellow handle. Most also say OIL on them (or OEL if your car speaks German).
If you have just driven the car, always wait at least 10 minutes for the oil to settle, this will ensure that most of the oil has drained to the bottom of the engine where the dipstick measures from.
With the bonnet safely propped, pull the dipstick out and wipe the end clean with a towel or rag. Re-insert the dipstick into the engine, making sure it goes all the way in. Now pull it out, but don't turn it upside down to look at it, this makes the oil run upward and ruins your reading.
The dipstick will have two marks at the bottom. They are usually either lines or holes in the stick. The oil level can be read by looking to see where the oily part ends and the dry part begins. If it's between the two marks, you're good to go. If it's below the bottom mark, you need to add 250ml of oil. Never add more than 250ml at once without taking a new reading of the oil level. Overfilling the engine can be messy.
Things To Remember
Park on level ground.
Make sure you haven't driven the car for at least 10 minutes before you check the oil.
When topping-up don't add more than 250ml of oil at once.
That's it! Check your oil as often as you like. Once a month or so is good for a car in good working order.
Small print...
Source: Many thanks to: http://autorepair.about.com/od/regularmaintenance/a/checkoil.htm
Screen wash
| Probably one of the easiest things to do to your car. Topping up screen wash will ensure you don't run out when you need it most. When topping up your washer bottle, use good quality screen wash and some water. Modern screenwashes are designed to be diluted this way. There are two kinds of screen wash; |
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Screenwash cap |
The result of putting screenwash into a power-steering reservoir |
Winter: designed to clear away road grime. But also contain anti-freeze to prevent the washer bottle from freezing and potentially splitting in the event of a cold spell.
Warning: When you top-up the screenwash always make sure you are filling the right bottle! On some cars the screenwash and Power-steering caps look very similar! Cars to watch are ford fiestas and Renault Clios.
Checking tyre pressures
| The wrong tyre pressure can seriously alter how your car feels on the road.
It can also cause uneven wear and lower fuel economy. The tyres on your car are designed to run at a certain pressure to afford the best grip, the best wear characteristics and the best economy. If the pressures are too low; the tyres will wear on the edges and will cause more drag which will mean higher fuel consumption and excessive tyre wear. If the pressures are too high; the tyres will have less grip and will wear uneavenly in the middle. |
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The correct tyre pressures can be found in the owners handbook, on the door pillar or often inside the fuel filler flap. If you cannot find the correct tyre pressure or you are worried about uneven tyre wear, seek professional advice at your local garage.
Checking tread depth.
Tread depth on new tyres is normally over 7mm.
The legal limit is 1.6mm, but ROSPA recommend changing your tyres when the tread depth is 3mm. This is to ensure better grip, especially in wet or slippery condition.
All tyres have tread indicators (see pic).. If the tread on your tyre is close to this indicator, it's probably time for new tyres.
You can check tread wear by purchasing a tread guage or by visiting your local garage or tyre stockist.
