Get Familiar with Routine Vehicle Maintenance!

It is important that you get in the habit of conducting regular vehicle maintenance and you’ll avoid potentially costly breakdowns as well as extend the life of your car. You can handle basic vehicle inspections yourself, by acquainting yourself with your owner’s manual. Every vehicle has an owner’s manual hidden away in the glove box or another storage compartment. If you can’t find your copy, search for an electronic version online. Otherwise, contact your Esserman International Volkswagen for a copy.

With the manual in hand, head to the maintenance schedule section. Take note of the intervals for such maintenance items as the engine oil and filter, tire rotation, belts and hoses, and so on. This way you can keep track of your cars service.

Check your oil and oil filter. Oil is the lifeblood of your car’s engine. It serves as a lubricant, keeping important engine parts from grinding against each other and destroying the engine. If it is not changed regularly it can damage your engine. This is why it is so essential that we change our vehicle’s oil regularly.

What type of oil should you use — petroleum-based or synthetic? Is one better than the other? This is where your owner’s manual comes in handy! Use oil that meets the service and viscosity requirements set out in the manual. 

Check your tires monthly. The only thing separating your car from the road is its tires. They need to be properly inflated to do their job, as well as to lessen the chance of a blowout. You might know how to add air to your tires. What you may not know is the correct tire pressure. If you’re not sure how to do this, we will check your tires when you bring your car in for service at Esserman Volkswagen.

Inspect all other fluids. Motor oil isn’t the only fluid to check. You should also check your car’s brake and transmission fluids, coolant, and washer fluid. Like motor oil, you’ll check transmission fluid with a dipstick. Determine brake fluid, coolant, and washer fluid levels by removing related covers and visually inspecting each.

Examine belts and hoses. If you want to go one step beyond basic routine vehicle maintenance, then inspect the hoses and belts in the engine bay. If a hose has separated or shows cracks or bulges, then it is important that you have it replaced. Similarly, check the belts too. If any belts show signs of wear, including cracking or chunks missing from the belt itself, then have it replaced.

Check these too! It is also important that you check your wiper blades, the battery, and the air filter. If the windows streak or the blades screech when the wiper blades are on then replace them. As for the car battery, make sure that the battery terminals remain free from corrosion. When it comes to the air filter, you may need to replace it once or twice each year. Check the air filter when you change your oil.

All of these simple maintenance checks can help prevent accidents and injuries so it is important that you keep your vehicle up to date when it comes to service. During this time, car service is considered an essential need so do not hesitate to call us at Esserman Volkswagen to schedule your vehicle service today!

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