Simple Car Maintenance You Can Do Yourself

Remember that red light on your dashboard that you kept ignoring until your car died...?

When it comes to vehicles, regular maintenance is key to extending their life by either preventing problems or sorting them out before they become really serious. And it doesn’t have to mean taking your car to your mechanic all the time. In fact, there is a number of tasks that can be done by everybody and should be done regularly. If you are an enthusiastic DIYer, you will promptly don your overalls and slide under your car’s undercarriage to get started but even if you are not, they are not as difficult as you may think so believe in yourself and get your wrenches out!

Changing spark plugs

Small but mighty, spark plugs produce a spark -hence the name- of electricity across a small gap to create the ignition needed to start your car and keep it going. If they are broken or damaged, they will affect performance and fuel consumption. But how do you know when you need to replace them?

In the worst case, your car will not start – although, of course, there can be other reasons for this. But if you notice sluggish acceleration, poor fuel economy, engine stuttering or are having difficulty starting the car then there is a good chance your spark plugs are ready for retirement.

Spark plugs are more or less readily reachable depending on your car, so before starting out, make sure you have done some research and feel comfortable changing them.

Cleaning battery terminals

Battery cable terminals loosening and developing corrosion – you will see a white powdery deposit - is one of the most common reasons why cars won’t start. Luckily, it is also disconcertingly easy to fix.

First things first, always wear safety goggles. Batteries produce explosive hydrogen gas that can be ignited by even a tiny spark - like if you accidentally hit them with a wrench while loosening the cables. Always disconnect the terminals before doing any work. You MUST start with the ground one. It is often the positive one but not always so check your owner’s manual.

You can buy car products to clean corrosion, but you can also make it yourself by using 2 to 3 tablespoons of baking soda and a tablespoon of water. Mix them into a paste and brush them onto the terminals with a toothbrush.

The paste will foam when it comes into contact with the acid deposit. Once it has stopped fizzing, rinse it and wipe it dry. Then replace the terminal clamps in the reverse order you disconnected them, i.e. by finishing with the ground terminal.

You can prevent corrosion by applying vaseline onto the terminals.

Replacing light bulbs

Outside, in the dashboard, in the glove box, in the engine compartment, the trunk and even sometimes the doors, there are more light bulbs in your car than you realise. In fact, a car can easily have several dozens of them!

Considering what they are put through, they are remarkably enduring. But like any bulb, they may need changing once in a while and they need to be checked regularly.

If you have located a defective bulb, the best thing to do is to check your owner’s manual on how to reach it, as they are set slightly differently on each model – why make things simple...? Then you just need to take it to a car shop to buy a replacement. While you are there, you may want to buy dielectric grease to put on the metal base and the contacts of the bulbs; it will slow down corrosion.

Replacing fuses

Sometimes, something that seems like a major problem is actually caused by a blown fuse and is resolved by replacing it. Of course, it’s not always easy to know where a problem comes from in the first place but a single fuse usually governs several items so if, say, your brake lights and your clock stop working, it is more likely that they are on the same fuse than that both of them died at the same time randomly.

Changing fuses is not difficult, the tricky bit is getting to the fuse box! There again, check your owner’s manual to find out where it is. It should also indicate which fuse is used for what in the car.

It will be easy to see whether the fuse is blown if it is a clear-glass type. If not, you can only find out by replacing it with another fuse from the car with the same amperage. We cannot stress enough that you should NEVER test or replace a fuse with one of a different amperage. It could cause serious damage to your car.

If the fault is rectified, you have found the culprit. If not, it may be time to take your car to a garage.

Replace Your Wiper Blades

If your wipers leave streaks when they are in use, it’s time to change them.

Any car shop will have some, all you need to do is know your car make to buy the right one. When it comes to wipers, it is a good idea to invest a bit more money to get better quality as they will last longer.

All wipers are fitted slightly differently so after you have pulled them off the windshield, check the wiper’s package for instructions on how to change them.

Take care once you have removed the old blade. If the arm of the wiper snaps back, it can crack the windshield if it hits it.

Changing or topping up fluids

Most fluid containers are easy to access and topping up between services will keep your car in good condition. Washer liquid, engine coolant and oil require no more than pouring in. Some sort of funnel might be useful, but don’t use the same for several products. Be sure to buy the right product for your car – check your owner’s manual – and never go over the “max” mark on the containers.