With more and more used cars on the road today it is especially important to keep up with regular car maintenance. At some point down the road parts like the AC compressor or a fuel injector may unfortunately go bad, but there are certain things that every driver should keep an eye on to avoid unexpected car fails. The first of these are the brakes because our safety is dependent on them. Brake failure is easily avoided by checking the fluid regularly and by replacing it every 24,000 miles. In addition to the fluid, the pads should be changed out depending on their condition and use. Just because they still make your car come to a stop, does not mean they don't need any help!
Other safety-related parts to keep an eye on are the tires. It’s easy to ignore tires that don’t have enough tread because you don’t want to drop that extra cash on a new set. However, this can be extremely dangerous and you may leave yourself hurt or stranded because of neglect. A typical time-frame for tire replacement is 6-10 years, although it obviously depends on their wear. An easy test to check a tire's condition is to put an upside-down penny between the treads. If you can see the top of the president’s head, time for a new tire! Check out the rest of a top 10 car maintenance checklist below!
1. Brakes: Fluid 2 years or 24,000 miles
2. Tires: Dependent on use; roughly 6-8 years
3. Coolant: 2 years or 24,000 miles
4. Engine Belt & Timing Belts: 3 years or 36,000 miles (Engine Belts) & 60,000-90,000 miles (timing belt)
5. Spark Plugs: Every 30,000-100,000 miles
6. Automatic Trans Fluid & Filter: Every 2 years or 24,000 miles
7. Air Filter: 12 months/12,000 miles or as needed
8. Battery: 48-60 months or as needed
9. Power-Steering Fluid: Top off as needed, inspect level with every oil change
10. Fuel Filter: Every 2 years or 24,000 miles
