Preventative maintenance is the work that you do to ensure that your car doesn’t suffer serious problems, especially when you’re out on the road. It’s certainly better than corrective maintenance to solve serious and costly problems, but it also reduces your risk of ending up in an accident. Here’s our take on the essentials of pre-emptive car care in Baltimore, MD.
Tire Checks
Nothing is worth the risk of a blowout on the highway. But well-calibrated and properly inflated tires will also reduce wear on other components of your car and improve your driving experience. Scheduling a tire service like a rotation every six months will make sure that your car has better alignment and balance. It’s also worth performing regular visual checks to make sure that your tires have a good tread depth for traction on the road.
Brake Services
Brake pads are a wearing part of your braking system and protect other components from metal-on-metal friction that will cost a lot to fix. So it’s important to ensure that your brakes are in optimal condition, especially as they’ll suffer extra wear if you regularly drive in heavy Baltimore traffic. Ideally, you should aim to get a brake service every six months but never less than once a year.
Oil Changes
Oil is the lifeblood of your engine and will keep it running smoothly without dangerous levels of heat and friction. It’s therefore essential that there’s enough clean oil to keep it running. You should check your oil levels and condition once a month by removing the dipstick, wiping it, and replacing it to see the amount and color of the oil. If it is dark brown or black, then it’s dirty and needs changing.
Although the use of synthetic oil means that you can leave a longer interval between changes, your oil should be drained and refilled at least once a year.
Wash and Wax
Cleaning the interior and exterior of your car will give you a sense of contentment and pride in your vehicle. It’ll also prevent the development of long-term problems and protect your vehicle’s resale value. Washing clears away contaminants such as tree sap, road salt, and bird droppings that might harm the paintwork and render it dull and patchy. It also improves visibility by keeping the windscreen and headlights clear.
Waxing tops up the clear coat and protects your car from deterioration and rust. You should wax your car four times a year for optimal protection and wash it every week.
With a cast-iron maintenance routine, your car will run reliably, cope better with difficult driving conditions, and retain its resale value. To get the benefits of expert knowledge and excellent customer service, let DARCARS Toyota of Baltimore be your trusted service center and schedule an auto service online with us anytime!
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