Vehicle maintenance tips

• Engine oil
  The engine oil is what lubricates all the metal and moving parts in your engine and prevents them from grinding together and tearing due to friction. Your engine cannot survive without it.
  You can never check your engine oil too often. Checks at regular intervals on long road trips are recommended. In between engine oil changes, you can check the oil level by locating the dipstick in the engine bay. The oil level will be indicated on the dipstick. Make sure it is not below the minimum level. Don’t be alarmed if the oil seems to be changing colour, towards a black as this indicates it is working.
  To keep your car in tip top condition, always comply with the recommendations and service schedule outlined in your owners’ manual.

• Tyre pressure and condition
  Checking your tyre pressure should be done once a week, ideally when the tyres are relatively cold. Tyre pressure can affect your fuel economy, safety and maximum use from your tyres. Refer to your owner’s manual for the optimum tyre pressure required for your car. When checking tyre pressures also look for any damage such as tatters and tears, punctures, uneven wear, foreign objects and so on. If you detect uneven wear, your wheels may need to be rotated or a wheel alignment may be required. Regular wheel alignments save you money and wear on your tyres. Select wheel alignment on your service booking form to ensure you receive tyre longevity.

• Wipers
  If your windscreen wipers smear, jitter or squeak, it’s time to change them. Ineffective wipers can effect your ability to see the road ahead and therefore impact on your driving safety. Wiper blades should be replaced every six months.   Select wiper blade replacement on your service booking form to see clearly on your next trip.

• Washer bottle
  A regular check on the windscreen wiper bottle will avoid the inconvenience of running out of just when you need it. The cap is located in the engine bay, usually labelled with a diagram. Just fill it up with clean water and any additives for the ability to see clearly out of your windscreen.

• Coolant level
  A coolant is needed to help prevent overheating (antifreeze) and seizure. Coolants should be replaced at recommended intervals as specified in your owners’ manual. In between, it’s worth doing a regular check on the coolant level to detect any leakages or defects. Always check your coolant when the engine is cold. When topping it up, simply locate the coolant in the engine bay, unscrew the top, add the coolant until it reaches the ‘full’ mark, then replace the cap tightly. 

Have you looked in your owners manual? Try -- it is the best source of information on your vehicle maintenance.  You will be amazed how much useful info you can find in the book. If you want to know how to check -- and how often to check -- the engine oil or something

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