5 Basic Tips Every Car Owner Should Know

There is a lot of freedom that comes with owning your own car. However, there is also a lot responsibility. One of those responsibilities is keeping up with the standard maintenance of your vehicle. Today, we will be discussing five basic tips that every driver should know for ensuring their car stays in good condition.

Change a Flat Tire

You should always know how to change a flat tire. However, spare tires have started to become less common. With that said, you should still have the ability and knowledge to jack your car up, removing the impending flat, and change it out with a spare tire. It’s important to remember when taking the flat tire off, that left is loose and right is tight. 

Jumpstart Your Car

To jumpstart your car, you will need a set of cables and another vehicle that is fully charged. The most important thing about jumpstarting your vehicle is making sure that you put the positive cable on the positive charge and the same for the negative. If you switch them around, you could risk ruining your battery. 

A helpful tip to remember this is the color red always goes on the positive, and the black goes on the negative. Also, in newer vehicles, the negative cable doesn’t need to connect to the battery. So, you can connect the negative cable to the engine bracket, but if you’re in doubt, connect the negative cable to the battery. 

Keep Tabs on the Air Filter

If your air filter is dirty, then air won’t flow through as well as it should be. Fortunately, air filters are cheap and easy to replace. In most modern vehicles, the air filter is found underneath a large rectangular box on top of your engine. The box is generally held in place by screws or clips. Regardless, all you have to do is pop off that box and exchange the air filter. 

Inspect Your Car’s Serpentine Belt

The serpentine belt should be easy to locate and check on. If your belt shows heavy abrasion, cracking across the grooves, length-wise tearing, or other obvious signs of damage, you will want to replace it soon. In theory, changing the serpentine belt is simple, but at times it can feel overwhelming to get the belt position in place. Also, keep in mind that proper routing is essential for all your car accessories to function. 

Check your Engine’s Cooling System

Black Toyota Vios

Your engine’s cooling system is critically important, yet, it’s often ignored like that exercise equipment you bought around the holidays. The engine cooling system has to deal with the scorching summer heat and freezing weather conditions. Therefore, keep an eye out for swelling, chafed, or cracked hoses. If you don’t, these hoses can burst and will leave you stranded. Also, always make sure you have coolant fluid in your overflow reservoir.

Then, if it looks like the antifreeze is discolored or rusty, that means your antifreeze system is long overdue to be flushed out. This is something you can do yourself to maintain the excellent condition of your car. 

In Summary

After reading this blog, hopefully, you now have the necessary knowledge to keep up standard maintenance on your vehicle. The majority of people may not realize this, but keeping up with these small essential tips can save you a lot. Lastly, putting in the effort on the maintenance of your car ensures your safety on the road. Nobody wants to be driving, and then your car breaks down, and you have no idea what to do. Knowing which custom car topper signage to pick for your business can make or break your operations.

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