Proper car maintenance can not only help you avoid some significant and expensive repairs, but can also help to prevent accidents while you’re out on the road. After all, many accidents are caused by failing or malfunctioning vehicle parts, such as faulty brakes, bad tires, electrical issues and engine failure.
Here are just a few car maintenance tips that will help you avoid accidents and major auto repair in Williston, ND down the road:
- Check your wiper blades: Far too many people head out on the road with wiper blades that are old and worn down. If your blades regularly leave streaks behind on your windshield, or simply don’t get the job done, then they need to be replaced as soon as possible so you can make sure you maintain your visibility when driving during rain, snow or sleet.
- Check your tires: Whenever there is rain, snow, ice or other hazardous weather conditions, driving automatically becomes more dangerous. Tires act as your first line of defense when these conditions are present. Therefore, you need to make sure you’re regularly checking your tires for potential problems that could cause you to lose control. Your tires should always be inflated to the proper levels, and should have the right amount of tread to ensure you have good traction. You should also check for any cracks in their sidewalls, uneven wear or other signs that you might need to rotate, realign or replace your tires.
- Use the right antifreeze: If your antifreeze is underperforming, you are going to have problems getting your car started during colder weather. This could also affect how your heater and defroster work. Make sure you’re using the right antifreeze for your vehicle.
- Regularly inspect hoses and belts: Rubber tends to get brittle over the course of time, especially if you live in an area where the weather gets extremely cold during winter months, as freezing and thawing can speed up the process of rubber wearing down. Therefore, you should make sure you’re paying attention to any signs of wear on the hoses and belts, such as frays, cracks or soft spots. If they end up failing or breaking, they could severely damage the engine.
- Check your fluids: Your oil, power steering fluids, transmission fluids and brake fluids are essentially your vehicle’s lifeblood. Make sure you’re regularly checking not just the levels of these fluids, but also the quality. If the fluids are beginning to look like they’re polluted or aged, then it may be time to replace them.
- Check your brakes: Brakes are extremely important for your safety and the safety of your vehicle, especially when the weather gets bad. Worn brake pads, for example, can lead to damaged rotors and expensive repairs. If you have brake fluid leaks, you might also experience major brake failures. Checking your brakes regularly helps ensure your safety on the road.
For more car maintenance tips to help you avoid major expensive auto repair in Williston, ND, contact Chaney Total Auto & Exhaust Repair today.