E.J. Braswell
Page 4
Remember to use the type and mix of antifreeze and water recommended in your owner’s manual—not what friends and family may recommend.
MONTHLY
Tires—Tread and Wear
Take a close look at your tires. Check to see that all four tires are wearing evenly and that they have a safe amount of tread. Any time a tire has less than one-sixteenth of an inch of tread left or a tread bar is showing level with two or more treads, it will require replacement. An easy way to check this is to insert a penny headfirst into the tread: if the top of Lincoln’s head is visible, you have less than a sixteenth of an inch left.
Check the Brake Fluid
Brake fluid should not go down much during normal car operation. It doesn’t hurt to check, though; the filler should be at the top of the master cylinder. If it turns out that you need to add fluid, you may have a brake system leak or the brake pads might require servicing, and you should bring your car to a professional as soon as possible. Dispose of any unused brake fluid immediately; do not save it. An open can will absorb moisture from the air quickly and will damage your brakes if added later on. Be careful to introduce only the recommended fluid in a brake master cylinder; other fluids will damage the system and could cause brake failure.
Even in normal car operation, brake fluid will also attract moisture and acids that can corrode brake systems and cause problems. Check your owner’s manual: Some manufacturers recommend having the brake fluid changed every two years—this should be done by an expert.
Check the Power Steering Fluid
Power steering fluid is a hydraulic fluid that helps operate your steering system. Check your owner’s manual to locate where the fluid reservoir and filler are. Again, the level shouldn’t go down during normal operation, so if you’re losing fluid, bring your car in ASAP. Also, just as with brake fluid, if you wind up having to top it off, dispose of any unused material properly.
Check the Automatic/Manual Transmission Fluid
Most manual transmission cars use transmission, or gear case oil, a thick 70- to 120-weight gear lube, although some do use automatic transmission fluid (check your manual). Automatic transmission cars use—yes, you guessed it—automatic transmission fluid, or ATF. Under normal use, most cars must have the ATF or transmission oil changed at specific intervals by a professional; check your manual. In addition, check the manual for the location of the dipstick for the appropriate fluid, with a manual transmission, an inspection plug is often located under the car on the transmission.
Headlights, Taillights, Signal Lights
With the help of another person, check to see that all your lights are working: low beam, high beam, taillights, parking lamps, brake lights, and turn signals at all four corners. Check the hazard lights and license plate lights, too.
Less Often, but Almost as Easy
EVERY THREE MONTHS
Check the Condition of Your Air Filter
While an air filter needs to be changed at most once or twice a year, it doesn’t hurt to take a look at it, especially in dusty areas. A clogged air filter can drop your mileage by a considerable percentage and wear down your engine. If you’re unsure of the air cleaner’s location, check your manual. It’s generally very easy to remove the lid of the air cleaner, since only clamps or a wing nut hold it down. Take the filter out and hold it up to the light and tap it on the ground. Is it completely opaque? Filled with dirt and grit?
Check the Condition of the Belts
Your manual should show you where to find them under the hood (or under the car). Just keep an eye out for anything that looks as if it’s wearing, fraying, or cracking, or if they look a little too shiny. (Always do this with the car off.) You usually don’t need to have them replaced more than once every four or five years, but it’s a real pain when they suddenly break on the road.
Check the Condition of the Coolant Hoses in the Cooling System
While hoses need to be changed as often as belts, they’re also easier to inspect. Look for collapsed or swollen hoses, holes and bulges, leaks, and oil stains. Feel them (Did we mention the car should be off?). If they don’t feel “hose-y” (i.e., cracking and brittle) or if they are giving too much, as if the material is spongy, old, and weak, it’s time for a change.
Change Your Oil and Filter
All right, having your oil changed at the shop is now so cheap it almost isn’t necessary for you even to think about it. But doing it yourself will give you a feeling of understanding and control over your car, at a time when there’s very little left an average Joe or Josephine can tinker with on an auto
You need:
A socket wrench, possibly an extender bar. We’re not saying that you’re a ninety-pound weakling; when the car comes from the factory or has had its oil changed in a shop, professionals use wrenches to tighten the drain plug. It can be really, really hard for a normal human to get it off afterward.
Oil filter wrench. Remember: This is not like a normal wrench. Don’t think you can substitute.
A new filter that is appropriate for your car
A new oil pan drain plug gasket of the appropriate size
The right oil (five to six quarts)
Something to catch the oil in. We recommend investing in an oil catch pan, one that seals so you can bring the whole thing in for recycling. It’s a lot easier than the buckets and gallon milk containers people often use.
Work clothes, safety goggles or glasses, gloves, and clean rags
Maybe a jack and jack stands if your car is low to the ground
The first thing you do is … yes, look at the manual. It will tell you the correct type of oil and oil filter to use, oil pan capacity, and where the oil filler, pan, and filter are if they’re not immediately obvious. It might even give you a step-by-step guide to changing your oil that is far more detailed than this one.
Park your car on a level surface. If the car hasn’t been running, start it and let it run for a few minutes before turning it off. Then wait a few more minutes so that all the oil drains back into the pan. Put on the emergency brake and place chock blocks on either side of at least two wheels.
With most cars, you can just crawl underneath the front end without having to lift it. We recommend this; it’s easier and less dangerous if you’re not used to working on cars. If you must lift the car, either use ramps (they come in pairs and are relatively inexpensive), or jack stands. Follow the instructions that come with them. Never, ever work under a car that’s only supported by a jack!
Figure out where the oil pan, drain plug, and filter are. If your manual doesn’t tell you and you feel at a complete loss, look for the oil filter—it will look almost exactly like the new filter you just bought. The oil pan and drain plug will be nearby. The drain plug is basically just a large nut or bolt at the bottom of the oil pan.
Put your oil catch pan under the drain. Be aware that oil is hot, sticky toxic, and, again, hot. From here on in be careful about splashes and spills. Put newspapers down if you’re a klutz.
Apply the socket wrench to the drain plug and push counterclockwise. Keep your arms, face, and everything else out of the way. Be aware that unless you’re fast, the drain plug will probably fall into the catch pan.
Let the oil drain into the pan until it’s done (about ten minutes). If you want to be thorough you can wait longer until the drips stop completely (half an hour to forty-five minutes).
You’re a third of the way done!
Wipe off the drain plug and reconnect it. Make sure it’s screwed on tightly, but don’t overtighten it and strip the plug.
Move the oil catch pan under the oil filter and use the filter wrench to unscrew it. Again, watch for hot, sticky oil drips. Make sure the little rubber washer (or gasket) comes off with the filter.
Put a little of the new oil on the new filter’s gasket and make sure it’s coated and rubbed in well, for a good seal. When you screw the new filter in, do not use the filter wrench! Only do it by hand. The instructions on the fil
ter package will probably say something like “Tighten three-quarters of a rotation after it’s on.” Don’t overtighten—it will damage the filter. (Some people like to write the date and mileage on the filter with a permanent marker for future reference.)
Okay … one more major task and you’re done.…
Fill ’er up! Open the hood, unscrew the oil fill cap, and, using a funnel or pour spout, pour in the right amount of the right type of oil.
Start the engine and let it run for a few minutes. Check to see if there are any leaks from either the drain plug or the filter. Turn off the car and check the oil level again; if it needs more, top it off. Remember to put the oil filler cap back on. Now catalog the oil change in your maintenance book with date and mileage info.
Congratulations! Now that really wasn’t so hard, was it? Whether or not you choose to do it again, at least you can—and you are more “in touch” with your car than before.
NOTE: Many gas stations and auto service providers like Pep Boys will take your old oil for recycling, so call around. In northern parts of the country, people sometimes have specially rigged oil burners for their house that take old car oil!
ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR
Change Your Air Filter
If you’ve done your three-month checks, you probably already know the condition of your filter and have changed it if it’s dirty. If not, change the filter at least once or twice a year anyway—it’s easy. Check your manual for the type of filter, take the old filter out, drop the new one in, and re-close the top. Really, it’s that easy. Did we mention the mileage it can save you?
Check Your Cabin Filters
These filters are housed in your vehicle’s air conditioner system and block potentially harmful airborne pollutants from entering the interior. It is recommended that you change your cabin air filter every 12,000 to 18,000 miles or as specified by your manufacturer.
SEASONALLY
Rotate the Tires
Rotating the tires helps them wear evenly and maximizes tread life. If you do it yourself—and we’re not necessarily recommending that; it’s a real pain—check your owner’s manual for the order or pattern of tire rotation. If you have a full-sized spare, sometimes that gets rotated along with the others.
NOTE: The best tires should always be on the rear of the vehicle, so plan ahead and rotate them often to keep them equal!
Check the Jack
Make sure all the equipment you need to change a tire is in the car: jack, spare, lug wrench …
Battery Check
If you have a voltmeter/ammeter gauge in your dashboard (or know how to use a handheld one), check to see if it’s showing the correct reading in the manual; otherwise, have a professional do it. If you’ve needed a jump start recently, have your battery and electrical system checked.
Windshield Wipers
Make sure the washers are working properly and aimed correctly: Your blades should wipe the windshield clean in two wipes. Check the wiper blades to see if they’re torn or coming out of the wiper arms. If you’ve had problems with the blades not clearing the windshield completely, have them replaced.
Belts: A Closer Look
Check the service schedule in your owner’s manual to see if the belts are scheduled for replacement, or have a technician check for you. Sometimes it’s hard to tell just by looking at them if they’re at the end of their life; they don’t crack and fray as they age as belts used to. With the engine off, twist them so you can see the inside of the belt. This is where most of the cracking occurs on most serpentine belts.
Coolant Hoses
When the engine is cool, you or your service person can inspect them. Look for bulges, softness, and bubbles or cracking on the surface. Unfortunately, cooling hoses are generally replaced only when they break, but if your hoses are more than four years old or your engine has been overheating, it may be good insurance to have them looked at closely by a professional for replacement.
Headlights, Take Two
First, check to make sure all your lights are working, as described previously. Then make sure your headlights are aimed properly, especially if you’ve had trouble seeing at night recently.
You’ll need a stretch of level pavement that extends 25 to 450 feet from a wall or garage door.
Pull up to three feet from the wall and put on your low beams. Outline the bright spots on the wall with chalk or tape.
Back up the car to twenty-five feet from the wall or door.
The top edge of the low beams should shine no higher than the top of the outlines on the door. The bottom edge of the low beams should shine no lower than the center of the marked outlines. For cars with four headlights, the center of the high beams should line up with the top of the outlines on the wall or door. In cars with only two headlights, the high beams are automatically aimed when the low beams are properly aimed.
If your headlights need to be adjusted, follow the instructions in your owner’s manual or bring your car in for service.
Heaters, Defrosters, and Fan
These systems are not just important to maintaining a comfortable temperature—they’re essential to safe driving visibility. Make sure the heater and air-conditioning are working. Check to see that the defroster/heating fan is forcing air through all the vents, with enough power to clear the window of condensate. Autumn leaves are pretty, but you still have to open the hood and clear them and any debris away from the vents at the base of the windshield.
It’s also equally important that your air-conditioning works even in the winter—most cars use the AC system to dehumidify the heated air during defrost mode to eliminate windshield condensate.
If possible, test the rear defroster to make sure that all areas are being heated. If it looks as if some of the defroster wires aren’t working, your service technician can sometimes repair them by applying a special conductive paint.
Exhaust System
Take a look under your car to see if any part of the exhaust seems to be hanging lower than it should. If it is, or if the exhaust has become louder or is making a different sound than it used to, have it checked. Remember: A faulty exhaust can potentially send fumes into the passenger area, causing sickness or death.
CAUTION: Never touch the exhaust system until it’s completely cool! (We say that a lot, don’t we?) Wait forty-five minutes after running the engine before touching any part of the exhaust.
Door Locks
If you drive in cold climates or use an electronic door opener you should grease your locks with spray lubricant. If the battery ever goes dead you’ll need to get into the car with the key.
Wash and Wax
Okay, this may seem silly and vain, but you should really wash and wax your car at least twice a year to prevent paint damage from the elements—and underbody rusting from salt if you live in cold climates. Once a month would be better. And regardless of where you live, make sure you do a thorough cleaning underneath to get off the dirt. A complete detailing helps maintain your car’s appearance longer, protecting your investment. And it will also get that funky smell out of the backseat.
Emergency Kit
If you don’t have one already get one, and if you do, check it to make sure it’s complete. (See the next chapter, “Safety Tips.”)
Mileage Quiz
What’s the highest mileage from a gallon of gas ever recorded for a motor vehicle?
a) 281 miles
b) 698 miles
c) 9,472 miles
d) 10,705 miles
Many tires have a recommended inflation range. You should keep your tire pressure:
a) To the middle of the recommended range
b) To the highest inflation in the range
c) To the lowest inflation in the range
Underinflating your tires by 5% will drop your gas mileage by:
a) 1%–4%
b) 5%–10%
c) 11%–15%
A clogged air filter will drop your gas mileage by:
a)
2%
b) 4%
c) 6%
d) 10%
Which of the following needs to be replaced regularly to make sure you maintain your car’s mileage?
a) Fuel filter
b) Air filter
c) PCV valve
d) All of the above
What will give you better gas mileage when driving at highway speeds on a hot day?
a) Driving with the windows down and the air conditioner off
b) Driving with the windows up and the air conditioner on
c) Driving with the windows halfway down and the air conditioner on
True or false: A loose or faulty fuel tank cap will hurt your fuel economy.
Driving at 75 mph rather than 65 mph increases fuel consumption by:
a) 5%
b) 10%
c) 20%
d) 25%
Driving with a poorly tuned engine will typically decrease fuel mileage by:
a) 1%–4%
b) 5%–9%
c) 10%–20%
ANSWERS
The French team, Microjoule, set a new world record for fuel economy on the way to winning the 2003 Shell Eco-Marathon UK. They achieved an astounding average fuel consumption of 10,705 miles per gallon.
You’ll always get the best gas mileage from the highest inflation in the manufacturer’s recommended range.
You could lose 5 to 10% of your gas mileage from tires that are underinflated by as little as 5%.
A clogged air filter could cost you a 10% loss in mileage.
All these items should be replaced as part of regularly scheduled service intervals to maintain maximum gas mileage. See your vehicle’s owner’s manual for its recommended service schedule.