Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Routine Car Maintenance At The Gas Station

A few car maintenance checks can lower the chances of car problems and road breakdowns when filling your car with gas. The first maintenance is washing the front windows. It's important to see clearly when driving on the road. A clean window is especially important when the sun is shining directly at you because a dirty window significantly reduces visibility. Sometimes the rear window and the side mirrors need washing.

Next, wash the headlights. Headlights are neglected when cleaning windows. Check if the headlights need headlight restoration; in other words, a frost like residue due to oxidation is removed when performing headlight restoration.

Open the hood to check the oil from the oil dipstick. The oil color should be clear or brown. A dark brown, almost black color means the oil needs to be changed. Make sure the oil level is between the level markers. The oil level below the markers means the engine is low on oil or there is an oil leak.

Use your senses when the hood is open. Visually inspect for any leaks anywhere and holes from the hoses. Look at other fluids' levels. Do you smell something funny? Do you hear something wrong? Any signs of trouble or warnings must be looked at.

Finally, check your tires. Look for nails and damage. If you see a nail, then take action such as going home or drive alternate routes to avoid accidents. You can take your car to a nearby auto shop. I turn my front wheels to the left or the right to see more of my front tires when I drive up to a gas pump.

Washing windows and headlights, checking the oil, using your senses around the engine, and checking your tires can be completed while you fill up. I'm not a car expert. I know some basic car maintenance. These quick and simple checks can save money from avoidable car problems and can avoid accidents.

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