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Maintenance

      Oil Change

 

It has been said that oil is the life blood of your car’s engine. This isn’t really accurate because, unless you are really sick, you don’t need to change out your blood. Oil is what keeps your engine’s parts rotating smoothly and working properly. Over time, exhaust gasses from the cylinders and even small bits of metal will contaminate the oil and reduce its effectiveness. Heat from the engine also breaks down the oil. Just like any other fluid, heat will reduce the viscosity (thickness) of the oil. If the oil becomes too thin, it won’t lubricate the engine as well as it should, and parts wear out faster

 

      Tires
 
Tires, like brake pads, have built in wear indicators. Between the treads, there are these tiny little ridges that are 1/16 an inch high. When the tread gets even with these ridges, it’s time to get new rubber. In case you were wondering, the ridges are 1/16 of an inch because that is the minimum safe tread depth for a road going tire. This is also the minimum safe tread depth allowed by law in many states. Check your tires every month or so for wear and damage. It only takes a minute. Run your hand over the tread, especially on the inner and outer edges. If you feel anything weird (uneven ridges, waves, wires!) get your tires checked out by a reputable tire shop.
 

 

      Brake Pads

 

Almost all brake pads come with a built in wear indicator! This usually consists of a small metal tab on the brake pad. As the pad wears down, this tab comes closer to the brake rotor. When it finally makes contact, you will hear a slight screeching or scraping sound. Once you hear the scrape, it’s time to change the pads. You don’t have to do it the same day, but try not to let it go too long. If the scraping turns into a rough grinding sound, you need to change those pads now! Running the pads too low can cause damage to your rotors. This causes your brakes to be less effective and could cost you more money in the end.

We’ve all been told that keeping up with our vehicle’s maintenance is important. If you look in your vehicle’s manual, you see there are enough service reminders and maintenance points to make your head spin. Fortunately, there are a few main areas that will, if you remember to keep up with, keep your car operating safely and reliably for years to come.

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