Car Maintenance

Please choose your category of hints and tips on safe driving and car maintenance from the menu on the right.

Top Tips

1. Check your oil and coolant levels once a month.
   There are about ten thousand explosions occurring in your engine every minute and parts are rotating at 2,000 per minute. If either your coolant (which funnily enough keeps things cool) or oil (which keeps things lubricated so they can move quickly) run out this causes serious, and expensive, damage to your engine.
2. Know your timing belt
   The timing belt is a belt in your engine which makes sure everything works in synchronisation with each other. While your engine may last you 100,000 miles, the timing belt only has a life span of about 50,000 miles - depending on your type of car. Open your owner's manual and look under ‘timing belt' and see when your timing belt needs to be changed. Make a note of it - perhaps put a sticker on your dashboard? - and when your car gets to that mileage make sure you get it replaced. The last thing you want is for it to snap when you are driving down the motorway. You have been warned!
3. Tyre pressure
   By keeping your tyres pumped up to the right pressure you will save yourself up to 10% on your fuel bill. Not to mention, doing your bit for the environment and extending the life of your tyres. Be careful not to overfill your tyres either as this can lead to a blow out!
4. Tread depth
   The tread is the grooves cut into your tyres which helps them grip to the road surface. When this wears down your tyres become ‘bald' and unsafe to drive. That is why it is now a legal obligation to make sure your tread depth is always above 1.6mm. You will get points or a fine if a policeman stops you and you have bald tyres! Grab a 10p coin, put it into the groove of your tyre and make sure it goes past at least the dots on the edge of your coin! Check each tyre separately as your front and rear tyres tend to wear unevenly.
5. Don't avoid a service
   Your car is a machine. Oil needs to be changed; fluids need to be topped up; filters get clogged up and dirty and need to be changed; brake pads wear down and need to be replaced. This is all for your safety and avoiding it will usually cost you more in the long run when things start to go wrong. Make sure you service your car at least once a year and if you drive a lot, you may need a service every six months.