3 Tips to Keep Your Car Running Smoothly
Have you ever wondered why it seems that some people are constantly having problems with their vehicle while others never seem to have any problems at all? What is basically comes down to is maintenance. By regularly maintaining your car you can add many extra years and miles to your vehicle. If you neglect your car, it is likely that you will have one problem after another. There are many things that you can do to prolong the life of your car, and we have put together 3 tips to keep your car running smoothly.
Regular scheduled oil changes
It is very important to get regular scheduled oil changes. Many people neglect this and literally pay the price when they start having engine problems. The motor of a car has many moving parts that need lubrication in order to avoid damage. Engine oil will eventually need to be changed as it becomes contaminated with dirt and debris. If the engine oil is never changed, or not changed regularly, it cannot lubricate the engine parts that it supposed to protect.
Engine parts will get worn down dramatically without regular oil changes. Neglect will cause high levels of friction that will occur without proper lubrication, and damage to the engine may occur. This will cause the engine to work harder and get hotter which can even lead to overheating. Old motor oil will eventually become useless to the engine, and the dirt that is left behind can do severe damage. Proper engine lubrication will keep pistons, valves and all other engine parts safe from damage.
Always remember that you never want your car to work harder than it should. This will only lead to more problems down the road. With a regular oil change maintenance schedule your car will have a longer life span. You will also enjoy having more power, and you will get better fuel economy.
Tire care
An important factor in keeping your car running smoothly is your tire care. You have to wonder why so many people neglect the tires on their car. Every time a person is going to use their car the tires are right there in view. It will only take a few moments to do a quick inspection, and a simple inspection will let you know if a tire will soon need to be replaced. Things to look for are nails or screws in a tire, cracks on the sidewall and balding tires. Every once in a while the tread should also be checked on each tire. A simple penny test can let you know if your tires are still safe on the road.
Checking your tire pressure on a regular basis is also very important. The most important reason to have proper tire pressure is for safety reasons. Having too little or too much air increases the chance of having an accident. Also, not having proper air pressure will impact the ability of tires to perform as they should. This will cause excessive tire wear, and will lead to a quicker replacement of tires. Rotating your tires as needed is a must to keep your car running smoothly. Uneven tire tread will increase the road noise that you hear, and you will feel more vibrations while holding the steering wheel.
Checking your car’s serpentine belt
If the serpentine belt is not working properly, your car is not going to take you very far. This large belt is what powers all of the accessories in your vehicle. Without it the water pump, alternator and all of the other important parts of your car would not work. Your battery would even die if your serpentine belt was not working properly. It would be a big mess as your engine would even overheat.
It is very easy to inspect the serpentine belt. What you are looking for are any cracks or brittle places. If it is time to replace the serpentine belt, it should be done as soon as possible. It is fairly easy to replace if you are mechanically inclined. If not, a shop may have to replace the belt for you. You never want your car’s serpentine belt to break or bust while you are driving or else you will get stranded. Always take care of a small problem before it turns into a big problem.
