
Helpful Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Car Running Smoothly
Whether you do them yourself or rely on your trusted repair facility to handle them, it’s important to perform routine maintenance tips to keep your vehicle in good working condition and to meet the conditions of your contract. Here are some tips that will help prolong the life of your vehicle for years to come.
- Change the oil
Oil problems can be some of the most expensive maintenance issues to fix so avoid this by routinely checking and changing your car's oil. Change it every 5,000 miles or follow what is recommended by the manufacturer. - Inspect and rotate tires
Check your air pressure and spare tire once a month and rotate your tires every 5-10,000 miles to reduce wear, improve gas mileage and enjoy a smoother ride. - Keep the battery clean
Extreme temperatures can affect battery performance so it’s important to check that it is working properly. Check it twice a year and scrub it with a wire brush if there is any sign of corrosion. - Have your brakes checked
This one is easy – listen for any brake noise and pay attention to shuddering or vibrating from the brake pedal. If any concerns arise, schedule with your service center as soon as possible. It’s also a good idea to check the brake fluid every time you change your oil, watching to see if it is dark in color. - Check the fluids
Get into the habit of checking car fluids along with the tires monthly. When the engine cools down, open the hood and check the power steering, brake, and transmission fluids. You want to make sure they are at the appropriate levels as a leak will affect the way your car drives. - Monitor coolant levels
Engine coolant affects everything from the heater and air conditioner to the radiator and water pump, so you want to stay on top of this one. We suggest you check your coolant twice a year—once before the warm weather starts and again before the cold weather begins. - Replace your air filter
A filter keeps out all that bad stuff you don’t want to breathe out of your car and your engine. If you let the dust and other pollutants build up, they start to clog the filter and that will negatively impact fuel economy and engine performance so make a note to change your air filter annually or every 12,000 miles. - Check the suspension system
Your suspension is one of those things you don’t notice until it stops working and driving becomes a bumpy ride. Best to check the shocks and full suspension system every 15,000 to 30,000 miles. - Inspect your spark plugs
If your engine is giving you trouble, check the spark plugs. They are responsible for igniting the gas and air mixture and when they don’t function properly, your engine won’t run well. They are one of the least expensive components to fix so check and change them about every 30,000 miles. - Check the belts and hoses
Keeping belts and hoses from getting worn down prevents larger issues that can cause your engine to overheat or systems to fail. Avoid this by having them checked at every oil change to make sure they’re in good condition. - Test the lights
This one is easy. Turn on your headlights, turn signals and parking lights; then walk around the vehicle to make sure they are working properly. Ask a friend to verify the brake lights are good and you’ll save yourself a ticket and more importantly, reduce the risk of an accident. - Replace windshield wipers
If your wipers aren't working like they used to, don't delay replacing them. You don’t want to get caught in heavy rain or snow without properly functioning windshield wipers. Head to your dealership or repair facility to get new ones.
If you need a recommendation, we can refer you to a ProGuard Select repair facility we trust to do quality work. Be sure to keep detailed records, receipts and invoices related to any service you have performed on your vehicle which will help with the process if you ever need to file a claim.