How to Do Routine Car Maintenance

Performing your own routine maintenance Presented by Auto Service Tech.com Copyright 2008 by peter F. Meier Hold no liability for the end use of this information. Always refer to the official service information for the vehicle you are working on and follow all specific procedures outlined therein need that information? It's available at many auto parts stores and online. Visit www.autoservice.com and look for the "for the car owner's" tab. Routine maintenance is periodic oil changes and visual inspection of the car's major systems. Here's some tips on how to perform this service on your car. First, you need the specific information for your cat that will help you make sure you get the right parts. Let's start with the vehicle information label, typically located on the door jamb. This is one place you will find the vehicle identification number, or VIN. As well as the build date of the car. Write this information down... on later model cars, you will also find this decal... this is the tire placard and tells you what tire sizes are acceptable for use, as well as the recommended tire pressures. The majority of cars on the road today are running with tires "under inflated" maintaining tire pressures saves gas and directly affects how the car handles. It's important! Now let's open the hood... this is the vehicle emissions control information label and is typically found on the underside of the hood. It tells you engine size, maintenance information and more... now we have the vehicle information... time to start inspecting... first make sure all the lights work... front and back! Don't forget the brake lights! And the wiper blades! Want to be able to see in the rein, right? There's a lot to check under the hood... but before we do and since we're changing the oil... remove the oil fill cap and place it where it will prevent the hood from closing. Why? To make sure you remember to put oil back in before you start the car! That would be a bad thing! Check the under hood fluid levels and conditions... the power steering fluid... the windshield washer fluid... the engine coolant reservoir... the brake master cylinder... don't forget to check the transmission fluid! Follow the specific procedure outlined in the service manual or your owner's manual. A word on fluids... low fluid levels can mean there's a problem...a leak or loss somewhere. Especially on brakes... make sure you know why the fluid level is low...and don't just top it off and forget about it! It may cost you a lot more in the long run! Check the air filter and replace it if you can drop it lightly on the ground and dirt falls out of it. Fresh, clean air will help you save gas! Before you start your oil change: make sure you've read the procedure in the service manual and have all your tools ready... make sure you have the correct amount and type of oil for your car, very important! Dispose of the old oil properly... it is considered hazardous waste and it is illegal to just dump it out on the ground... Many parts houses will accept waste oil and oil filters for disposal. Have a solid, level surface to work on and raise the car only on approved ramps designed for the purpose. No cinder blocks, car jacks, or anything else unstable!!! With the car raised and stable (parking brake applied and wheels chocked), locate the oil drain plug and remove... make sure you identify the right drain plug. Many cars have drain plugs in the transmission too inspect the oil drain plug and seal for damage... replace if needed. Don't over tighten when reinstalling... it may cost you an oil pan! Remove the oil filter with the proper tool visually inspect the filter mating surface for damage. Make sure you don't let this happen! Make sure the old gasket doesn't stay behind and get forgotten. Doubling up on this seal will surely cause a major leak and likely engine damage when the engine loses its oil supply! Lubricate the new oil filter seal with fresh, clean motor oil and reinstall. Hand tight only! Tighten until gasket seats, then 3/4 to 1 turn more... After you've installed the new oil filter and reinstalled the drain plug... add the proper amount and type of oil to the engine. Reinstall the oil fill cap and lower the vehicle. Oil type is critical on many new engine designs. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Service information is easy to find... at parts stores, book stores, book stores and online... Visit us at www.autoservicetect,com and look for the "for the cat owner's tab. With the car back on level ground, start the engine and let it run until the oil light goes off or oil pressure reaches normal. This shouldn't take long... if it goes longer than 15-30 seconds, look for leaks or low oil! Then shut the engine down, wait a few minutes and verify the oil level is correct. An that should do it! We hope you find this video helpful. For more information, visit us at www.AutoServiceTech.com performing routine maintenance.