How to Celebrate National Car Care Month

Observing National Car Care Month is as easy as giving your vehicle a quick check to make sure it's running properly. After driving a car every day, you may take for granted that everything is running smoothly. This once a year check is a good start, but remember taking care of you car all year long is also important.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Make sure you're current on your oil changes. It pays to have your car's oil changed on the regular factory recommended intervals. Dirty or diminishing oil can cause serious damage to your vehicle.

2. Check your tire pressure this month, and start a schedule of checking it every month. Follow the guidelines in your owner's manual or on the tire. Under-inflated tires are bad news for fuel economy, and over-inflated tires cause premature wear.

3. Change the air filter, and ask your mechanic to check the filter every time your oil is changed. A clogged air filter hinders your engines performance and causes your vehicle to suffer bad gas mileage.

4. Look at your car battery. Make sure it is tightly clamped to the engine and that there is no corrosion around the fittings.

5. Fill up the windshield wash fluid. Keeping your windshield clean of bugs and other debris helps remove any obstructions from dirty windows.

6. Locate the spark plugs to make sure they are not loose or worn out. A damaged spark plug can cause your car to use more fuel than it would otherwise.

7. Do an external inspection of your vehicle. Make sure all headlights and taillights are working properly. This is sometimes overlooked until it is too late and you find yourself receiving a ticket for a faulty headlight.

Tips & Warnings

• To check the air filter, hold it up to a 60-watt light bulb. It's clean, if you can see light through it. If you can't, it should be replaced.
• Slow engine start, or the dimming of interior lights on occasion can signal a problem with your battery or the connection to the engine.
• Do a fluids check on your car monthly. Check the oil, antifreeze, power steering fluid and windshield wash.
• Don't drive with a faulty car. Even a broken gas cap can cause your vehicle more problems and turn into a more serious problem.

[wipers123]

on 4/28/2009 #8: Don't forget to inspect your front AND rear windshield wiper blades. Manufacturers recommend that they be replaced every 6 months depending on your local climate and your driving habits - especially extreme north, extreme south and costal regions. A good tip in the spring is replacing them after the harsh winter and before Easter when the busy spring/summer road-travel season begins. In the fall, replace before Thanksgiving which is a busy travel weekend and pre-dates the harsh winter season.