Most car owners often underestimate the importance of preventive maintenance, then they are hit with the worst-case scenarios. They end up spending a lot of money trying to repair their vehicles. Routine car maintenance protects you from such costly adversities.

Preventive maintenance ensures that your car is in the best shape and prolong its life. Here are five preventive car maintenance jobs you can do at home that will save you from down the road.

Inspecting your brakes

Have you seen a movie where an actor couldn’t stop their car because of a dysfunctional brake line? This is worse in real-life situations. It’s common to assume that your brake pads are working fine. But, do you know that the majority of car accidents can be avoided if vehicle owners inspect their brake system regularly?

Brakes mostly fail due to brake fluid leaks, and thus the brake pads can’t apply pressure effectively to the rotors. It’s therefore essential to regularly inspect your brakes to ensure that there are no anomalies.

If the brake fluid is dark, then that’s enough indication that you should replace the fluid with a clean, new supply. For the brake pads, if you hear a screeching sound while braking your car, then you should take it to the nearest service center immediately.

Checking the engine coolant

High pressure or excessive heat may damage your engine coolant. Also, when it gets old, the engine coolant might not perform up to the manufacturer’s guidelines. It’s therefore vital that you inspect the levels of the coolant reservoir to affirm that they are within the standard level.

You should also check on the hoses and any other connections within the coolant system. Replace them if they have any cracks. Also tighten any loose hose clamps as that may jeopardize the cooling of the engine.

Rotating and balancing your tires

Did you know that your tires wear out differently? Rotating your tires makes them last longer and saves you the money that you’d use in buying new tires. So, how frequently should you perform this task?

It’s advisable that the tires get rotated after every 6,000-8,000 miles. You should balance the wear and tear by noting the sides that are worn out the most. Aligning the tires helps to avoid steering problems, which can result in accidents.

Checking your car battery condition

Almost every car owner has experienced a situation where their car battery stopped working without giving any signs. This could be worse if it’s at night. You can avoid such unfortunate situations by regularly checking your car battery.

First, inspect the battery terminals as well as their connection cables. Ensure that there’s no leakage or mineral build-up around them because this interferes with the flow of electricity to the critical components of the car. Use a clean battery cleaning brush to remove any impurities around the terminals.

Also, use a multimeter do determine the voltage levels of your car battery. A fully charged battery should be between 12.4-12.7 volts when the car engine is off. https://twitter.com/sgcarbattery24h?lang=de

Inspecting air filters

Clogged air filters hinder the consistent flow of air to the engine. Your car needs to have an unlimited supply of air to aid combustion within the engine. Dirt and grease block airflow, thus affecting the car performance.

Get your filter replaced by a reputable mechanic. If it’s still in the right shape, have the filters cleaned professionally. It’s advisable to change the air filters annually or after covering 12,000 miles.

The tips mentioned above will ensure that your car stays in the best shape possible. You can save a lot of money by using these simple preventive maintenance techniques.