Our easy guide to car maintenance

Here at Clonskeagh Motors, we have put together an easy 4 step guide on maintaining and caring for your vehicle. These are the few vital steps to take ensuring your car is safe and roadworthy at all times, while saving money in the long run on servicing and repair costs.

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  • Tyres

    Aim to check your tyre pressures every couple of weeks, with the tyres cold, using a reliable and accurate tyre pressure gauge. Try to get into the habit of regularly checking your tyre pressures. The easiest time and place to do this is while filling the car up with fuel, as a lot of garages have tyre inflation equipment as well as with tyre pressure gauges. Tyre condition is crucial to safety in terms of stopping, expelling water and going around corners, as well as withstanding higher speeds without failing. However, tyre pressures are important too. Too high and the tyres don’t work as they are supposed to; too low and fuel economy will be worse.

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  • Lights

    To check the condition of your indicator lights, switch on the ignition, apply the hazard lights and then visually check the indicators. The indicators should flash between thirty and ninety times per minute.
    
    With regards to the brake lights, simply press down on the brake pedal and either take advantage of reflections in windows, or enlist the help of a friend to check the performance of these lights. No other lights should be visible at the same time as the brake lights, even dim glows. At the same time as this, put your car into reverse and check that the reverse light is working properly.
    
    To check the headlights and tail lights, turn on the ignition and switch the lights on. Walk around the car and perform simple visual checks on these lights. The headlights should be equally bright and the beams should point towards the left and slightly down. At the same time, check the main beam by switching it on and off.
    
    To check your fog lights, stay in the vehicle and operate the relevant switch. Make sure that the warning light comes on at the correct time.
    
    You should also make sure that the exterior light covers are not cracked or showing any signs of weakness.

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  • Wipers

    If your wipers are noisy or they leave streaks, or there are bits falling off, it’s time to replace them. You’ll need to pop into a motor factors or order a replacement set online. Some motor factors will change them for you, though it really isn’t very difficult.
    
    Keep an eye on the rear wiper if your car has one too.

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  • Water Levels

    Having low water levels in your car battery can cause severe problems. Fortunately, checking water levels in the battery is simple. Open up your bonnet and remove the battery cap. There should be a vent cap, which can be removed, at the top of the battery. If water levels look as though they are running low, even by the slightest amount, simply add distilled water (never use tap water) to the battery. The water level should reach the cell inspection hole. Make sure that you do not overfill the battery, since this could cause problems with the battery acid.

These are just a few simple tips to follow in order to maintain your car. If you have any questions or would like to find out about other maintenance tips, please contact us on 01 2694477 or drop by our showroom on Clonskeagh Road, Dublin 14.