carzindagi desk, Jan 15, 2023 02:03 PM IST

Regular car maintenance could significantly improve performance, alleviate safety and improvise aesthetics thereby providing superior lifestyle. Checkout these healthy car habits to routinely observe

Car's tyre pressure - Tyre pressure is extremely important for two reasons.

1) for avoiding a flat tyre in the event of a potential puncture and

2) for avoiding excessive fuel consumption and thus providing adequate mileage.

Warning lights - Be watchful to check out the warning signs your car sends you. By just being vigilant about these signs, you would protect a serious breakdown or accident due to a malfunction. The warning signs could be red & orange lights that blink on your car dashboard. A red light indicates an acute problem like engine oil depletion, overheating of the engine, or a braking system malfunction in your car while the orange light indicates a minor issue with the engine which has to be fixed at the nearest service centre to avoid a massive problem if neglected

Engine hygiene - Keep your car's engine clean to increase its performance and life. For this allow your car to cool down and with a piece of cloth wipe the loose dust and debris. You may want to also protect the delicate parts with appropriate wraps available in the market. It's a good practice to apply degreaser onto the engine surface. The long standing grease and dirt should be scrubbed off and cleaned with a cloth followed by using a protectant to prevent dust from settling in.

Brake fluid upkeep - Monitoring brake fluid levels is important. Check if your brake pedal gives some warning signs 1) check if you need to push the pedal all the down to the end 2) check if it is rough while pushing the brake pedal 3)ABS dashboard light blinks to indicate the brake oil levels and when to change 4) while applying brake if it smells odd or gives noise 5) time to change the oil (routine change after 30,000 miles or 2years) Try to change the brake oil by decanting the old fluid completely and replacing with new oil.

Battery maintenance - Regularly clean the car battery with baking soda to neutralize acid corrosion or use a battery cleaning spray. Scrubbing and cleaning the battery terminals is necessary.

Change lubricants and oil filters - Changing the lubricants and oil filters is another important component to your vehicle maintenance.

Car's user manual - Timely refer to the company provided user manual of the car to understand the components of the car and the care you need to take in order to prevent a malfunction. The user manual contains troubleshooting tips that will help assist you on the go.