Whatever you drive, it’s tough to keep your cool when car troubles bring your travel plans to a standstill. Getting repairs sorted will cost you time and money – but ignoring them could be even worse.
Avoid unexpected hold ups and choose a safer journey by giving your car a once over. With our ultimate car maintenance checklist, you can steer clear of car trouble and hit the highways without a hitch:
Tyres
Check your tyres regularly and give them an extra once-over before long journeys. Make sure you tyre pressure’s high enough and there aren’t any cuts or tears. You’ll need to check your tread too – you’ll need to replace them if they’ve worn down too far.
If you notice your steering pull to one side while driving, check your tyres as soon as it’s safe to – one could have gone flat.
For more top tyre tips, check out our tyre care article.
Inspection
Make time each month to give your car a quick check over for dents, scrapes and rust. Minor dents or paintwork scratches are easy to deal with. Rust in the bodywork may need more attention, though.
Fluids
Checking and changing your car’s fluids is a must.
- For engine oil, check levels using the dipstick. Simply wipe it clean, put it into the reservoir, pull it out, and see if the level is between the two notches. If it’s not, top it up! If you need a full oil change, we’ve guide a guide to that too.
- For coolant, check the reservoir under your car’s bonnet. If you’re below the ‘min’, you car’s at risk of overheating. Top it up with distilled water and antifreeze as needed.
- For screen wash, you’ll need to top this up whenever you’re running low. It’s easy to do and easily available - you can buy ready-mix screen wash in most supermarkets and petrol stations. It may seem like a small thing, but no screen wash could land you in hot water. If you’re out of screen wash, not only could your car fail its MOT, but you could get fined £100 – or up to £1,000 if you’ve caused an accident because of your unwashed windscreen.
Check your car’s manual for more information on what you’ll need to check and top up. And if you spot fluids leaking, call your garage for an inspection.
Lights
By law, all your lights need to work. Your head lights, indicators, fog lights, brake lights, number plate lights, and reversing lights should all function. Keep the lenses clear and look for cracks or dirt that could affect the brightness.
Checking your lights is easier with a buddy, but if you need to check them by yourself, parking near a reflective surface (like a white garage door) could help you to see what’s glowing and what isn’t.
Windscreen
Don’t let chips go unattended. It’s easy for a chip to crack – especially when it’s very hot or very cold. Watch (and listen) for debris hitting the glass while you’re driving. And if you spot a chip, get it filled right away. If it turns into a crack, you’ll need to get your windscreen replaced.
You should also replace windscreen wipers once a year – or as soon as your view gets streaky.
Power steering
When you go for your next service, make sure the garage will top off your hydraulic fluid reservoir. Once a month, check its levels – and if it’s running low, fill it up!
Toolkit
Keep a toolkit in the boot, even if it’s just a torch and an ice scraper. For a spare wheel, you’ll also need a jack and wheel-removing tools to make the most of it. And if your car has locking wheel nuts, you’ll need the key for those handy, too.
Battery
Every couple of months, check your battery isn’t leaking or damaged. If there’s mineral building up on the contacts, wipe it off with a cheap battery cleaning brush. You could also invest in a battery tester, charger or jump starter – which you can add to your toolkit.
Air filters
The cabin and the engine both have air filters. Changing the cabin air filter is usually pretty easy and can be included as part of regular servicing at your local garage. You could change it yourself though. Check the manual for how to do it if you’re not sure.
Switching the engine air filter can be trickier to do yourself. But if it’s easy to get to, check to see if it’s dirty. Again, you can ask for your engine filter to be changed as part of your regular service.
Owner’s manual
Don’t just leave it in your glove compartment. Read your owner’s manual and get to know your car. If anything seems off, give it a search online to find out a possible cause and then read up on it in your handbook. It can help you with almost everything on this car maintenance checklist, which in turn makes your life easier.
From checking tyre pressures to keeping a crystal-clear windscreen, it pays to carry out regular maintenance on your car to keep your motor running, and you should make sure your car is regularly serviced.
These essential checks will not only help save you money, but give you more time to focus on your next adventure. And for extra peace of mind, check out AXA car insurance so you’re covered for the drive ahead.
