Summary
___________
How to review key points
___________
Fuid levels, tires, lights, leaks,…
Preventive maintenance is the most important, since it aims to extend the life of the vehicle and prevent serious breakdowns.
After these days in which the vehicles have not been used as usual, from Airtex we propose some simple steps that the driver himself can carry out.
Fluid levels: The vehicle has certain fluids for its correct operation, such as the coolant, the fuel, the engine and gearbox oil, the hydraulic fluid for brakes and power steering, and the wiper fluid. Many of them are in tanks that are easily visible in the engine compartment and have «minimum» and «maximum» level marks. Similarly, engine oil level should be checked with the dipstick, which also has those level marks.
If any of these liquids are below the minimum level, it is necessary to fill up with the same type of liquid, always without exceeding the maximum level. This may be due to leaks through gaskets or other components, so it is also recommended to check the engine.
Lights: All the lights in the vehicle must be checked for proper function. Otherwise, it is mandatory to replace the corresponding lamp. Weak lighting may indicate a dead battery.
Battery: We must check that the vehicle starts without problems and all the electrical systems work. Using a multimeter, the battery voltage can be checked and if it is below 12 Volts, it must be charged or replaced.
Tires: These components have control tokens in the tire tread, which indicate the wear limit. It is important to check for evidence of uneven wear inside or outside the tire, which is generally due to very high or very low pressure.
Which brings us to another important point to check, the tire pressure, indicated in the vehicle’s user manual.
Other aspects to check may be the operation of the air conditioning, the wear of the elements of the braking system and the correct operation of the vehicle’s steering system.