Tips for Home Maintenance of Car
Many times the maintenance or repair of your car can become more expensive than expected if you take it to a workshop. Although from time to time it is necessary to take it to the workshop, there are certain maintenances that you can do from the comfort of your home and with few tools and resources, resulting in cheap repairs and maintenance in which you save money.
That's why with these 10 tips for maintenance of car you'll save money and time for your Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Honda or any other brand. Either way, we recommend that you first consult your car owner's manual for some of the maintenance and check with a mechanic after you have done the work.
CHANGE THE ANTI-FREEZE.
Engine coolant is a liquid used to prevent the engine from reaching temperatures or very high or very low and damaging other parts of the vehicle.
The coolant is finished and if you want to save money on having to replace the radiator, heater core and water pump, change every 40.000 kilometers or 25.000 miles for green coolants, and 160.000 kilometers or 99.500 miles for long-lasting refrigerants. However, this is a maintenance that you can do from the comfort of your home, you only need the right tools to carry out this home maintenance of your car.
It is recommended to allow the engine to cool down and check coolant levels.
Learn more about changing your vehicle's coolant here
CHANGE THE OIL.
Oil change is one of the most common home maintenance that is done in cars. It is advisable to make the change every 3.000 to 5.000 miles or 4.800 to 8.000 kilometers, although it also depends on how much you drive. All you need is a cat, a drain tray and engine oil. Maintenance must be done somewhere flat. You can take the old oil to a recycling center.
If you want to know more about oil change, go to our engine oil change post of your car.
REPLACE THE AIR FILTER.
The engine air filter helps the efficient operation of the car's heating and air conditioning system. A dirt filter can harm drivers in the winter.
What needs to be done is replace it with a new one, unscrewing the lid that covers the filter and sliding the old one with the new one. It is recommended to consult the car owner's manual before maintenance. The filter must be replaced at least once a year.
Check here for more information on this maintenance.
CLEAN THE HEADLIGHTS.
Cleaning the headlights can be a very important factor in avoiding a car accident. Cloudy headlights can make driving difficult at night. The positive point is that you don't have to replace them with new ones, only with a restoration kit that is around $20 you can make the headlights crisp and shiny again. Toothpaste can also be used, which makes this maintenance much cheaper. It is recommended to follow the instructions of the restoration kit for sanding and polishing the headlights.
CLEAN THE BATTERY TERMINALS.
The battery is a device that has inside several energy cells that provide the electrical power for a vehicle's starter.
If you notice that your vehicle's battery is not working properly, you may be needing a new one. But first of all, it's safer to check if the battery terminals are corroded. Corrosion puts an extra charge on your charging system and can interfere with computer-controlled systems, over time, you will need to replace your car's battery.
Clean battery terminals can prevent your car from stopping at the most inopportune time. You can clean them with a mixture of baking soda and water and a wire brush.
Discover how to quickly clean battery terminals
FIX THE DEFROSTER GRID.
The defrost grilles are the thin lines that run through the rear windshield. Its function is to remove fog or melt ice in the winter generating heat to give you optimal visibility.
Those lines are tiny wires that heat up when you turn on the grille. But they can let it work properly, leading to a reduction in visibility. You can purchase a defrost grille repair kit for approximately $20. It is recommended to first clean the window and locate the breaks in your network, you can do it with a voltmeter.
CHANGE THE FUSES.
Fuses are the parts that protect all electrical devices in a vehicle. In the event of a voltage surge, a fuse explodes so that extra electricity does not reach the most important electrical parts.
The question of replacing the fuses is not so much because of their change, but because they know which one is melted. It is therefore recommended to read the vehicle manual to locate where the fuse box is and thus start checking the fuses one by one. Most fuses are housed in clear glass or plastic, so you only need to check for a break in the fuse. If one is broken, it's a matter of taking it out and putting the other.
Discover step by step how to perform this repair in this post.
STOP WINDSHIELD CRACKS.
A chipped or cracked windshield can leave your car's roof quite weak as the windshield acts as the support beam. And not only that, but also a small crack can spread quickly.
This requires a professional repair, but if you don't have time, you can temporarily stop the crack while looking for repair. It is recommended to first clean the windshield, then it can be applied to the damaged area nail polish or glue, and as a last recommendation, place on the glue area a piece of packing tape to prevent the site from dirtying.
WASH THE CAR.
A vehicle is always proof of the elements, from road salt and melted ice in the winter to tree sap and bird droppings in the summer. Some of these hazards are not only unsightly, but can damage the paint and undercarriage.
The exterior maintenance of the car can be as important as the care we devote to mechanical issues. Keeping your car clean can help prevent long-term damage.
Do you want to wash your car but don't know how to do it? Here we teach you how to wash your car easy and as a professional.
REVIEW THE CAR INSURANCE.
It is advisable to keep up with the vehicle's insurance. A policy evaluation can help suspend some coverage, increase the limits of others, or add coverage to extend your financial protection. Careful review of car insurance can help save money and alert you to inadequate coverage that could put your assets at risk.
We hope these tips have helped you care for your vehicle. At first it may seem like an arduous task, but over time, you will be adpathy and you will be able to do all these maintenances in record time and thus save money!
With these 10 tips for maintenance of your car, you can stay up to date with all the care and responsibilities of owning a car without any worries, saving money and time.