By owning a car, you can get from one place to another at a quick pace. Owning a vehicle and thus having the ability to optimize your time management is a luxury and a privilege. But it’s also a big responsibility for you and the drivers around you.
If you’d like to better understand your vehicle and what you need to do to keep it running properly—even past its life expectancy—here’s a basic rundown of car parts and their maintenance checklist.
Familiarize Yourself with the Manual
Before you start learning about the various car parts and their maintenance checklist, it’s essential to know the basics of your specific car. Understanding how your vehicle operates will provide you with knowledge of prevention and safety. Every car comes with an owner’s manual, which covers all the car’s features and components and provides suggested maintenance schedules. Take advantage of your car’s manual.
Car Parts Maintenance Checklist
Finding the right parts for your vehicle is important in maintaining its overall longevity. Whether you need to maintain a luxury car or a semitruck for work, knowing your vehicle inside and out is necessary. Thankfully, it isn’t complicated—even for a novice in car knowledge.
Tires and Lights
One of the minor checkups you can do at any time is checking your car’s tires and lights. Frequent tire inspections are essential, as driving on incorrect tire pressure can cause difficulty with turning or staying in control of the vehicle. Be sure to check your tires monthly.
As for your lights, overlooking them might be expected, but car lights also need monthly care. Having a friend or family member help you check your lights is the best route, as they can test the high beams, brake lights, and turn signals.
Oil and Coolant
Oil and coolant are vital parts of making your car run, so checking them is important. When your engine is cool, check under the hood for your oil and coolant levels. It’s good to perform oil changes every 3 months or roughly every 3,000 miles.
Transmission
Briefly put, transmissions need regular service. Manual transmissions should be serviced every 30,000 to 60,000 miles, while automatic transmissions can be serviced every 60,000 to 100,000 miles. This prevents future issues and expands the transmission’s life span.
Brakes
Good working brakes can prevent unwanted accidents while you’re on the road, so be sure to have your brakes checked regularly. You can check them yourself by turning off any distracting noise and listening for any foreign noises that might seem strange when you slow to a stop. Replacing your old brake pads as recommended in your owner’s manual is also beneficial.
If You Can’t Identify the Issue…
The worst-case scenario is the inability to identify an issue with your car. The problem could be out of your expertise, so be sure to schedule an appointment with your local car repair shop. It can provide the help you need to get your car running efficiently again. From there, you’ll be out on the open road once again.
Van Rundell is a writer and author who specializes in transportation, travel, guidance, health & fitness. With over 10 years of experience in the industry as a driver and an entrepreneur, he has seen it all. His tone is professional but friendly with a dash of humor thrown in for good measure. In past, he has been advising, educating and writing about transport for the public and professionals alike.
A qualified fitness instructor with over 5 years’ experience as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, Van brings his deep knowledge of health and exercise science to his articles on health & fitness.
