7 Car Maintenance Checks You Should Never Forget CarBuzz News Features New Cars Used Cars Sell My Car Shopping Tools Car Reviews Car Finder Compare Cars Best Cars Car Dealerships Used Car Reviews Car Advice Home Features 7 Car Maintenance Checks You Should Never Forget
7 Car Maintenance Checks You Should Never Forget
Nov. 02, 2018 3:31 PM ET by Jared Rosenholtz / 2 Comments Remember your important maintenance with the help of Car Management. While enthusiasts love to perform upgrades on their cars, from a new set of wheels to a remapped ECU, basic maintenance is far more important for car guys and gals and everyday drivers alike. Cars have so many moving parts, it's hard to keep track of every single service item. Be honest, how many times have you forgotten to change your oil? Since car maintenance is so important, we have created a list of service items that should not be ignored along with an app that will help remind you when your car is due for maintenance. Tesla The Car Management App
It can be hard to track every oil change and service appointment your car needs, it's even harder if you have a garage full of cars. Luckily, a new app called Car Management can help remind you every time maintenance is required on your car. The app works by using statistical algorithms to predict when your car will need service based on memos you insert.\ For example, the app can predict when an oil change is needed based on how many miles you've driven and when the last oil change was logged. Car Management is capable of reminding you of inspections, MOT, insurance payments, oil changes, filter replacements, tire rotations, and more. Oil And Fluid Changes
One item that is easy to ignore is the basic oil change. We've seen vehicles gain as much as 20 horsepower from a good oil change alone. Ignoring an oil change can have disastrous results, especially on a high-performance vehicle. Every vehicle has a different oil change period depending on what type of oil it uses, so be sure to consult your owner's manual and vehicle forums to know how long you should go between changes. Other fluids can be equally important including transmission fluid, coolant, brake fluid, and power steering fluid. Even windshield wiper fluid needs to be topped off every once and a while. Just don't let a shady mechanic talk you into replacing your blinker fluid. Air Filter
While you do the oil change, it's usually a good idea to check the air filter as well. In most cases, these are extremely easy to swap out, so don't let a dealership or garage overcharge you for changing it out. Every 12 months or 12,000 miles is a good rule of thumb but if you live in a dusty climate or drive a high-performance car, you may want to change it more often. Brakes Pads And Rotors
Among all of the maintenance items on this list, few are as important as brakes. Brakes stop you in case of an emergency, so it is imperative to make sure your pads and rotors are in good order. Different cars have varying levels of brake life and your driving style can also impact how long brakes last. If you notice a pulsating feel from the brake pedal, it could be time for a replacement. Tire Replacement And Rotation
As with brakes, it is important to check tire wear and pressures regularly and change out tires when they are worn. An old rule of thumb is to stick a penny in the grooves of the tires. If you can see Lincoln's head, it's time for new tires. Of course, this trick won't work with the type of sticky, track-oriented rubber found on most supercars and sports cars. Also, be sure to rotate your tires to ensure they wear evenly unless of course your car has different wheel sizes in the front and rear, which means you'll need new tires more frequently. Dodge Inspection
In many countries and US states, getting your car inspected is required by law. Some states, like California, even have special checks for smog that need to be performed every year. Since it is usually illegal to drive without a valid inspection, this is an extremely important maintenance item to perform, even if you aren't the one actually performing it. Battery
Many car maintenance items don't need changing for months, even years, meaning it can be easy to forget when they are needed. Items like the battery can often last three to five years, so this is one item that you could easily forget to check. There's nothing worse than having a dead battery on a cold winter's morning. This is where the Car Management app can be especially useful. GM Hoses And Belts
Other items like hoses and belts need to be changed during the life of the car, and can drastically impede performance if they are forgotten. Significant items like a timing belt can sometimes last up to around 70,000 miles, so it's easy to forget when to change it out. A snapped belt or leaking hose can be disastrous inside an engine bay, so make sure all of your equipment is replaced on schedule. Join The Discussion
Show Comments (2) Gallery
19 Photos Tags: #Chevrolet News #Car Culture #Tops Related Cars
Chevrolet Camaro Coupe Jared Rosenholtz Editor-at-Large After graduating with an MBA, Jared pursued his love of cars by becoming an automotive journalist. An internship with CarBuzz grew into his current position as Editor At Large. Jared now spends most of his time evaluating new vehicles and chasing the latest news stories in the automotive industry. When he’s not attending Cars & Coffee events on the weekend, Jared loves to watch NFL football and cruise around with the top down in his German convertible. Contact Jared @Carsnbites @jar_rosenholtz LoginSign Up Home News Features Car Reviews Car Advice 2021 CarBuzz Awards New Cars Used Cars Future Cars Compare Cars Sell My Car Car Dealerships Buy Here Pay Here Used Car Reviews Popular Tags Cars # Video # TOP # Spy Shots # Reveal # Rumor # Auto Show # Supercar # Tuning # Car Culture # Industry News # Motorsport Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Car Type SUVs Crossovers Sedans Coupes Trucks Sports Cars Wagons Vans Hatchbacks Convertibles Small Cars Luxury Cars Electric Cars Hybrid Cars Future Cars By Price Up to $15K $15K - $25K $25K - $35K $35K - $45K $45K - $55K $55K - $75K $75K - $100K $100K - $200K $200K - $300K Above $300K Back To Top