The Beginner’s Car Maintenance Guide from A Mechanic

Have you ever tried to do a car service and failed miserably, or even damaged some parts while in the process of servicing? Yeah, I know these things happen if you are new to car maintenance. 

Don’t need to worry, I made this beginner's guide for you after taking advice from different expert mechanics. Hope, after reading this guide, you will be able to do simple car service Wolverhampton**** at your home.

Tyre Maintenance

Checking Tyre Pressure

As far as car maintenance is concerned, I consider tyres one of the number one priorities. One of the things I look for with tyres is just generally the tyre pressure. Does it look like it's low? But don’t just trust your eyeballs, actually use a tyre gauge and check the tyre pressure.

When you open up the driver’s door, you may see a sticker, and this sticker tells you the type of tyre. It also tells the tyre pressure, both front and rear, and for your spare tyre. That’s something you should check during maintenance.

Inspecting the Spare tyre

This tyre is supposed to get inflated to 60 PSI, but it’s only got a little more than 20 PSI in it. This is why you want to check these kinds of things now, rather than when you’re on the side of the road trying to replace it.

Looking for Damage & Leaks

You want to look around the outside of the tyre to see if there’s any damage, foreign objects, or anything lodged in it. If there are you want to address them. If you notice the tyre going slowly down over time, there’s a slow leak somewhere, and you should probably find that out before it becomes a real issue down the road.

Proper tyre Inflation & Overall Health

For now, we’ll check the tyre pressures on these, and these are supposed to be set at 32 PSI, and they are set exactly at 32 PSI, so this one’s good to go. As I’ve said many times in this blog post, tyres are extremely important, so keep an eye on:

• Tread depth
• Tread wear
• Inflation level
• Overall health of the tyre

This is imperative to the health of your vehicle and its fuel mileage. The tyres do a whole lot. They are number one on my list of things to keep an eye on and maintain. And don’t forget, you’ve got three more tyres, so be sure to check them all.

Under-the-Trunk This Inspection

General Engine Bay Check

Is it full of dirt and junk? Is it covered in oil or other substances that really shouldn’t be there? How does it generally look?

Battery Maintenance

Batteries are extremely important, especially when it comes to maintenance. Keeping your battery terminals clean is a very good idea. This owner should probably clean these battery terminals. Things will probably work better as a result.

Checking the Oil

I also want to check the oil level, which you do when the vehicle is off. The best time to check the oil is first thing in the morning after the car has sat overnight. This way, you get the most accurate reading. What you’ll find under there is what type of oil to use in that engine, usually located on the oil cap.

Inspecting the Air Filter

While we’re here, we’ll get a look at the air filter. That looks pretty good, probably could use a change, but at least we put our eyes on it and know whether we’ll have to do this soon or if it’s fine for now. This is the idea of vehicle maintenance: finding problems before they become real issues while you’re out driving on the road.

Inspecting Belts & Coolant

Be sure to also inspect the drive belts for cracks, damage, or any kind of dry rot. A light is sometimes helpful to check the coolant level, and you should always check it in the overflow tank. You could get hurt or seriously injured by doing that. But it’s easy just to put a light down by the overflow, maybe shake it a little bit, and see what the levels are. 

Checking Transmission Fluid

Checking the transmission fluid level is also important, but may not be possible on some vehicles. Some don’t have a dipstick, some require the engine to be running, and some require it to be off at operating temperature. 

Brake Fluid Inspection

Brake fluid level can be seen from the outside; there’s a MAX and MIN line. Unlike engine oil, brake fluid doesn’t burn off or go away. So if you see your brake fluid being low, it could indicate worn brake pads. Check those next.

Small Details Matter

Visual inspections are important, and details matter. I was looking at the belt on the car and found a shiny spot on top of the AC line. Looking up above it, when the trunk is closed, the windshield washer line rubs against it. If left alone, this could wear through and disable your windshield washers. Details are important if you find something like this, address it.

Wiper Blades & Lights Check

Wiper Blades

Wiper blades are pretty easy to inspect; just look for tears or if they’re coming apart. If you’re driving in bad weather and can’t see well, it’s time to change them. I usually change mine every spring and fall to stay ready for seasonal weather. These small blades, if damaged, can cause your car to fail the MOT Wolverhampton; it is considered an MOT failure during the test.

Lighting Check

To avoid getting pulled over and to stay safe at night, check all your lights:

• Headlights (high & low beams)
• Turn signals
• Parking lights
• Brake lights

Make sure everything functions properly for your safety and others’.

Checking for Leaks

Another part of maintenance is looking for leaks. Just poke your head underneath the vehicle and look around. If you see something leaking, investigate further.

Simple Leak Test

If you’re not sure whether your vehicle is leaking, try this:

1. Slide a piece of cardboard under the engine and transmission.
2. Leave it overnight.
3. Check the next morning, you’ll know if there’s a leak and how severe it is.

Remember: Leaks don’t get better, they only get worse. Address them early!

Listening While Driving

Another way to maintain your vehicle is to drive it and pay attention:

• Turn the radio off.
• Listen for weird noises over bumps.
• Notice if the car pulls when braking.
• Check for unusual smells.

If you hear or smell something odd, don’t ignore it; check it out.

Ask Your Mechanic for Insights

Ask your mechanic what issues they’ve noticed with your car. This helps you address problems before they become serious.

Pro Tip: Bring your mechanic some baked goods or buy them lunch, they’ll likely share even more helpful advice. The point is to educate yourself and learn as much about your vehicle as possible so you can fix issues before they leave you stranded.