Car Maintenance And Service Checklist

When it comes to your vehicle, prevention is 1000 times better than cure. Basic upkeep is cheaper than major repairs caused by neglect. We wanted to put together a little checklist for you!

For some reason, lots of people neglect basic maintenance on their car. Their philosophy is “Hey, it’s running, so what’s the problem?” The excuses never end: “I just don’t have the time.” “I don’t know anything about cars”.

There are all sorts of ways to kill a perfectly good vehicle, and one of the most common is to neglect basic maintenance. Driving too long on the same spark plugs, forgetting to change the oil and turning a deaf ear to squealing brakes or mysterious clunking sounds can mean an early trip to the junkyard for your vehicle.

Basic car safety checklist

• Seatbelts — check tension and belt buckle operation
• External Lights — replace bulbs if necessary
• Handbrake — ensure that it can hold the vehicle on a slope
• Windscreens & mirrors — check windscreens and mirrors for cracks
• Windscreen wipers — check wear on wiper blades, replace if necessary
• Horn — ensure this works
• Fluids — check engine oil and engine coolant levels
• Tires — ensure tires are at the correct pressures, check treadwear
• Spare tire & jack — ensure they are operational, check toolkit

Fluids checklist

• Engine oil
• Radiator coolant
• Brake fluid
• Power steering fluid
• Windscreen washer fluid
• Clutch fluid (manual cars)
• Gearbox oil
• Differential fluid

Tires checklist

• Tire pressures
• Treadwear and tread depth
• Check your spare tire
• Car jack and tools

Lights checklist

• Headlights
• Indicators/hazard lights
• Brake lights
• Reverse lights
• Park & Fog lights

Other general things to check

• Radiator hoses — check for leaks and cracking
• Engine air filter — check that it is clean
• Battery — look for corrosion around terminals
• Fan belts — ensure none are loose or squeaking on start-up
• Unusual engine noises — hard to start, ticking, hissing or clunking
• Ensure that child seats are fitted correctly — Does your car have ISOFIX child seat anchors?

These suggestions are a basic overview of the maintenance that your vehicle should receive on a regular basis to ensure that your engine will have a long and healthy life and to keep you on the road. If you have more questions about the maintenance of your vehicle – give us a call at The German Auto Doctor.