Basic Car Maintenance Tips

Latest blog entry

01/30/2012 08:02 AM
2013 Dodge Dart and its videogame dashboard
One of the more intrigueing items on display at the recently closed Detroit auto show was the
all-video dashboard for the upcoming Dodge Dart. If you've read my blog for any length of
time you'll know I'm not particularly keen on touchscreen controls - stuff you should be able
to do without taking your eyes off the road (like changing a/c or fan settings) that gets buried
in a menu-driven interface. Dodge have taken this to its logical conclusion with their new
dash. The dash itself is a video display - which is sort of neat - but it presents w-a-y the hell
too much information - so much so that it's now distracting. Their in-car controls for
everything else are now driven with a touch-screen interface, thus showing they've learned
nothing from Ford's experience with the MyTouch interface (and it's appalling customer
feedback). Dodge have made it so you don't have anything haptic any more - no knobs, no
buttons, so you can't even guess where a menu item is. Now they've forced you to take your
eyes off the road to look at a screen to do everything. And given how most shiny surfaces in
a car react to driving in sunlight, my guess is that a full 50% of the time you won't be able to
see what's on the screen meaning it won't just be a quick look-see but a full-fledged moving-
the-head-around attempt to see the most basic display. Stupid. See for yourself:
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Also remember the competition to win a CarMD vehicle diagnostic system is still open : Win
a CarMD
Chris - [Link]

Throughout the rest of this website you'll find in-depth articles describing in intricate detail
how everything automotive works. On this page, I've simplified all that knowledge into a
series of basic car maintenance tips, subdivided by category. Some tips have simple
explanations right here whilst others link back to the articles in the rest of the site. If you can't
find what you're looking for, try the search button at the end of the top menu. If you still can't
find what you're looking for, or have a suggestion for something else I should cover, contact
me using the contact button on the top menu bar.

Wheels and tyres

Rotate your tyres!
Every 5,000 miles or 8,000km, rotate your tyres. Tyre rotation.

Clean brake dust off regularly

Brake dust contains all sorts of nasty stuff. If you leave it too long, the combination of road
grime, moisture and heat from your brakes will bake it on to your wheels. Brake dust
normally clings to wheels with static electricity so a damp sponge and clean cold water is the
best way to get it off.

Check your tyre pressures

Check your tyre pressures regularly - once a week is ideal. Bad tyre pressures can affect fuel
economy, handling and comfort. It's easy to do and there is no excuse not to. Checking your
tyre pressure.

Check your tread depth

Bald, slick tyres might be good for motor racing but they're no good on the road. Most tyres
come with tread wear bars built into them now - find one, examine it and if your tread is too
low, replace your tyres. Four new tyres might seem expensive but they're cheaper than a fine
or an accident. Tread wear bars.

Engine
Check your belts
At the front of your engine there will be a series of rubber drive belts that loop around various
pulleys, driving everything from the alternator to the a/c compressor. Rubber perishes, more
so in extreme conditions like those found in an operating engine bay. Get your timing belt
and accessory drive belt checked every 25,000 miles, preferably replacing it every 50,000
miles. See the Fuel and Engine bible for information on interference engines and why
checking your timing belts is a necessity, not a luxury: Interference engines
Fuel Economy
Check your tyre pressures regularly - once a week is ideal. Bad tyre pressures can affect fuel
economy very noticeably. It's easy to do and there is no excuse not to. Checking your tyre
pressures

Checking your oil level

This is something everyone can do - it's quick and easy and it'll tell you if your engine needs
oil. If the oil is too high or too low, it can cause trouble for your engine. To check the oil,
park on level ground and wait until the engine has cooled down after driving, then locate the
dipstick. Pull it out and wipe it clean, then push it all the way back in until the top of it is
seated properly in the dip tube again. Wait a moment then pull it out again. Check the level of
the oil. If it's between the high and low marks, you're fine. (If it's too low, add a little.) The
high and low marks can be denoted by two dots, an "H" and "L" or a shaded area on the
dipstick. The photos below show a Honda dipstick which has the two dots. Why not just
read the level first time around? The first time you pull the dipstick out, it will have oil all
over it and it will be difficult to tell where the level is. That's why you need to wipe it on a
rag to get a clean dipstick, then dip it back into the oil to get a good reading. More
information on why you should check your oil level is here Checking your oil level.

Checking your coolant level

Again, something everyone can do. The coolant is the other thing your engine cannot go
without. Every engine is different but if you check your handbook you should find where the
coolant reservoir is. It will normally be bolted to one side of the engine bay or the other, and
be a white semi-transparent bottle. Wait until your engine is cool and take a look at it - the
outside should have 'low' and 'high' markings on it and the level of coolant inside should be
between the two.
Do not take the radiator cap off to check coolant levels. If the coolant system is still hot
then it is still under pressure and the pressure release will burn you. Engine cooling
systems.

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learned something, a small donation to help pay down my car loan would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Fuel / gas
Will higher octane or premium fuel give me better gas
mileage and/or more power?
No. Sportier cars have higher compression engines which generate more power and require
higher octane fuel to prevent detonation. That's where the myth of "premium = more power"
came from. If your handbook says "regular", use regular. See octane and power for more
information.

Bodywork / paint
Keeping your paint finish in good condition
Only choose superior car detailing supplies to keep your car's interior and exterior like new.
There are plenty of decent quality waxes and polishes on the market today and if the last time
you waxed or polished your car was over a decade ago, things have changed considerably
since then. The wax and polish compounds are far more sophisticated both in terms of
protection from fading, the look of the finish, and the ease of application. For example Turtle
Wax Ice gets rid of that old problem of white wax residue. Is a clean car a vanity thing?
Partly, yes, but if you park under a tree where birds help repaint your car with recycled
blueberries, that guck will come off a lot easier if it falls on a waxed paint job.
Tip: If you find a bird has pooped on your car, wash it off as quick as you can. There are
compounds in bird waste that can damage most car paint jobs. If you leave it in the sun and
the poop bakes on, you could end up with a dull spot in the paint.

Electrical
Disconnecting and reconnecting your battery
If you're going to do any work on your car involving the electrical system, disconnect the
battery first. To do this, loosen the connector for the negative/ground terminal first, and
wiggle the terminal cap off. Use a wire-tie or similar to tie the cable back out of the way. If
you need to take the battery out, you can now take off the positive connector.
Why negative then positive? If you disconnect the positive side of the battery first, the
negative side is still connected to the entire car. If you drop a tool and it lands on the positive
battery terminal and touches anything else on the car, you'll have an electrical short. By
disconnecting the negative first, you're cutting off the return path for the current. Now, if a
tool drops on to either of the battery terminals, it doesn't matter if it touches part of the
chassis or not - there's no continuous path for the electrical current.
Reconnecting your battery. Connect the positive terminal first, and the negative second -
the reverse of removal, and for the same reasons. When you slip the negative connector on,
there will be a spark as it gets close and makes contact with the negative battery terminal.
Don't be afraid of this - it's nothing to worry about. Make sure the terminal caps are done up
nice and tight.

Check your battery terminals

Most modern cars run on a 12 volt negative ground electrical system. If your battery
terminals or contacts aren't clean, you're making it more difficult for the current to pass
around the electrical system. Remove the terminal caps as described above and clean each
contact post with a wire brush to get a nice clean metal contact surface. Do the same to the
terminal caps, then reattach them as described above.

Lights
One indicator or blinker is flashing faster than the other
When you indicate one way and the blinker flashes quicker than when you indicate the other
way, it means one of the bulbs has blown. An auto parts store will be able to tell you what
sort of bulb you need to replace it with and your manual should show you how to get at the
indicator bulbs - they're different on every car.

Don't touch the glass when changing headlight bulbs

Most headlight bulbs now are filled with halogen and have special coatings on the outside of
the glass. If you pick the bulb up by the glass with your fingers, you will leave trace amounts
of oil and grease on the glass. When the bulb is used, that area of the glass will get hotter than
the rest and it will eventually cause the bulb to crack. When changing headlight bulbs, only
hold the metal bulb holder at the base, or make sure you're wearing rubber surgical /
mechanic's gloves (clean ones) if you're touching the glass.

Dash / instrument warning lights

The check engine light.
Every new car now comes with OBD-II - On Board
Diagnostics 2. This is a fault-registering system connected to
sensors all over the car, engine, fuel and emissions system.
When the check engine light comes on, it can mean many
things. There are something like 4,000 unique OBD2 codes
that can be stored. Handheld OBD2 diagnostic tools can be
plugged in to the OBD2 port which is normally under the
dash on the driver's side. These tools can read out the fault
code and/or reset the system to contain no codes. Codes are
split into two categories - historical/inactive, and active. The
historical codes are lists of things that have been detected in
the past but are no longer an issue, whilst the active codes are
things that are a problem right now. Codes are subdivided
into B-codes (body), C-codes (chassis) and the biggest list of
all - P-codes (powertrain).
P0440 OBD-II code. This is the most common code you'll
find and it's the first thing you should check. P0440 is the
code for Evaporative Emission Control System Malfunction
which covers a multitude of sins. The one thing it covers that
you can check is your gas cap (petrol cap). Most new cars
have a pressurised fuel system and vapour recovery loop. If
you've filled up with petrol and not twisted the gas cap until
it clicks, you've not sealed the fuel system. It won't pressurise
and the OBD2 system will log a P0440 code. In fact, on a lot
of cars, that code is so common they'll actually have some
way of telling you to check the gas cap. In the Honda
Element, for example, if a P0440 code is logged, the dash
scrolls "CHECK GAS CAP" across the odometer display. So
if you get a check engine light, check the gas cap first and
see if the light goes off. Note : even if the light does go off,
the code will likely still be stored in the OBD system and
will show up next time it is checked.
It wasn't the gas cap. If tightening the gas cap didn't do it,
you'll need to find someone with an OBD2 diagnostics tool
or reader. Some garages will charge you just for plugging the
device in and reading the code. If they do, walk away.
They're ripping you off. Better to find a garage or mechanic
that will read the code and actually give you a diagnosis
rather than just making you pay to find out a number.
Smaller garages and local mechanics will normally do this
for you for a small fee, and being independent, the diagnosis
won't be predicated on you buying some expensive parts
from a corporate chain.
If you're a do-it-yourself type used to working from shop
manuals, then a lot of places that will give you the diagnostic
code for free. In America specifically, the Schuck's chain do
free diagnostics checks (Checker, Kragen, Murray's,
Advance) as well as AutoZone. Drop in - don't phone up and
ask. A lot of times if you phone up they'll tell you it's $40. If
you just turn up, more often than not they'll do it for nothing.
In the UK I'm not sure who does - if you know, drop me a
line. The alternative, if you're into maintaining your own
vehicles, is to buy a reader and do it yourself.
The service engine light / Maint Reqd
light.
This might indicate "Service", "Service Engine" or "Maint
Reqd". It's an indicator that you're getting close to a
scheduled maintenance interval. On some cars it's as simple
as counting miles before it comes on, whilst on others it
maps engine temperatures, oil temperatures, air temperatures
and other indicators of probable stress to tell you when it
might be time for new oil or a service. In most cars this can
be overridden or reset by you, the owner. Your handbook
will tell you if this is the case. If you take your car for a
service, the garage should reset it for you.
Typically this light will come on when you start your car,
and then turn off again as part of the self-check. If it stays on
for 10 seconds then turns off, it normally means you're
within 500 miles of needing a service. If it flashes for 10
seconds, it normally means you've exceeded a recommended
service interval.
The electrical fault light.
This warning light is different in every car but normally it
looks like a picture of a battery, similar to the picture on the
left here. You'll see it come on and go off when you start
your engine as part of the car's self-test, but if this light
comes on and stays on, it means the electrical charging
system is no longer working properly. Think of it like a
cellphone battery. If the cellphone is plugged into the
charger, you can use it indefinitely, but when you disconnect
it from the charger, there's a limited amount of time before
your battery runs out. It's exactly the same in your car, only
bigger. Every car has an alternator - the charger - and a 12v
battery used to supply power to the electrical system. If the
alternator becomes faulty or the drive belt to it snaps, then it
will not be able to do its job. The longer you drive, the more
your car will use up the remaining juice in the battery and
eventually the engine will die. This almost always requires a
new or refurbished alternator.
Brake warning light 1
Most cars nowadays have a brake warning light on the dash.
Its purpose is to alert you that something is wrong in the
braking system somewhere. If it comes on, check your
owner's manual to find out its meaning. The brake warning
light doesn't have a standard meaning; it could be used for
multiple purposes. For example, the same light may be used
to show that the hand brake (parking brake for the Americans
amongst you) is on. If that's the case and you're driving, you
ought to have noticed the smell of burning brake dust by
now. The light can also indicate that the fluid in the master
cylinder is low. Each manufacturer has a different use and
standard for this light. Which is nice. Because it would be
such a drag if the same indicator meant the same thing in
every vehicle.
Brake warning light 2
If you've got an ABS-equipped car, you also have a second
light - the ABS light. If it comes on, get it seen to as soon as
possible. It means the ABS computer has diagnosed that
something is amiss in the system. It could be something as
simple as dirt in one of the sensors, or something as costly as
an entire ABS unit replacement. Either way, if that light is
on, then you, my friend, have got 1970's brakes. It's
important to note that this light normally comes on when you
start the car and then switches off a few seconds later. If it
blinks, throbs, flashes or in any other way draws your
attention to itself, then take note. It's not doing that just to
please itself. Compared to a steady light, a blinking ABS
light normally indicates something more serious. In some
cases it could be as bad as "you have no brakes at all."
Coolant warning light
This is normally the coolant level warning light. If this
comes on it means that the level of coolant in your radiator is
low and needs topping up. DO NOT OPEN THE
RADIATOR CAP WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT! The
coolant system is pressurised and it could easily release
pressure and spray you with boiling coolant. Do it when the
engine is cold. Top up the system with either a pre-mixed
coolant bought from a shop, or with distilled water. Don't use
tap water - the mineral deposits in it boil out in the cooling
system and calcium gets depositted around the inside of the
radiator making it less efficient (which will eventually cause
it to fail). It's always best to use pre-mixed coolant, or to mix
your own rather than using neat water. The coolant mixture
behaves as an antifreeze in winter as well as a corrosion-
inhibitor to stop your engine rusting from the inside out.
Oil warning light
Typically this light will come on if your oil pressure is too
low. Low oil pressure is serious and if you continue to drive
with this light on, eventually your engine will die. Low oil
pressure can be caused by a failed oil pump, a blocked oil
filter or strainer in the sump, or by low oil levels - for
example if your engine is burning oil. Either way, you need
 to get it fixed, and fast. Low oil pressure is A Bad Thing and
your engine won't thank you for leaving this problem
untreated.

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