Keeping up routine maintenance on your vehicle can help prevent costly repairs later. Maintaining a vehicle is not always a complicated process. Some types of preventative maintenance are fairly simple, and many vehicle owners perform the maintenance themselves. If you’re ever unsure of how to perform a certain maintenance task, always consult a professional in order to keep your vehicle in peak condition. Regular maintenance is often less costly than repairs, so keeping your vehicle in shape is a worthy investment. A well maintained vehicle is also less likely to break down on the roadside and cause you to need towing or roadside assistance. Check out these common maintenance suggestions below:
Alignment
Getting your vehicle’s alignment checked and adjusted is a helpful part of preventative maintenance. Correcting alignment is the process of making sure a vehicle’s tires are all aligned in the same direction. When tires are not aligned, driving can cause uneven wear on the vehicle’s tires, and can even cause tires to wear out more quickly. This can lead to unexpected flats or blow outs that could leave you waiting for a tow truck.
When your vehicle’s alignment needs adjusting, you may notice your vehicle pulling slightly to one side or the other while driving, or that you have to turn the wheel slightly to stay straight. Most vehicle owners depend on a professional for adjustments to their vehicle’s alignment. This would be difficult to do without appropriate equipment. Many professionals provide low cost alignment, so it’s worth the visit.
Engine Air Filter
Replacing your engine air filter is another important part of regular vehicle maintenance. Your vehicle’s owner’s manual will usually have an estimate of how often you should inspect your engine air filter. Your air filter can gather plenty of dirt in a surprisingly short time if you drive in city traffic often, so checking regularly is a good idea. In some vehicles the engine air filter can be difficult to reach, so some drivers opt to have their filter replaced by a professional.
Oil Change
One of the most important maintenance tasks that vehicle owners must pay attention to is oil changes. Going too long without an oil change can lead to severe damage to your vehicle. This type of damage must usually be repaired in an auto shop, so if you find yourself stranded you’ll most likely have to call for a tow truck. To avoid this, make sure that you follow your vehicle’s manual regarding how often to get oil changes, and pay attention to your vehicle’s oil change warning if it has one.
Changing a vehicle’s oil requires draining the old oil and then adding new. A vehicle’s owner’s manual will specify which type of oil should be used in a vehicle, and which type of oil filter. An change can be done at home, however many vehicle owners will have the procedure done by a professional. Many prefer going to a professional to avoid possible oil stains marring their driveways, and because professionals can responsibly dispose of the old oil.
Other Fluids
Oil isn’t the only fluid that helps your vehicle run regularly, and it’s not the only one that should be checked regularly. Two other fluids that should be checked regularly are coolant and power steering fluid. If you’re unsure how to check these fluid levels on your own, your vehicle’s owner’s manual will have steps. Coolant is important to keep your vehicle from overheating. Driving in the Texas heat can overheat your vehicle and leave you waiting for roadside assistance. Make sure to check your coolant level as recommended by your manual.
Power steering fluid is also important to your vehicle’s performance. Learn what level this fluid should be at in your vehicle and check it regularly. If these fluid levels appear low, add more as detailed by your vehicle’s manual, or have the fluid changed by a professional. Many oil change services will check the level of these fluids when changing the oil in your vehicle, so make sure to ask about them and make sure they’re at safe levels.
Keeping your vehicle well maintained will help keep you on the road. If you do find yourself needing roadside assistance, call Hi-Way Towing, a towing company in Tyler, TX, for help getting back on your way!
