#Summer car maintenance checklist how to#

While you’re under the hood checking the transmission fluid, go ahead and check the cables connected to the battery.

The process to check is the same: pull it out, wipe it clean, reinsert, pull out and check. In fact, if you don’t know much about cars, it’s easy to confuse the two dipsticks. Check Automatic Transmission FluidĬhecking the automatic transmission fluid is similar to checking your engine oil. What good is putting nice, clean oil in your vehicle if it has to travel through a dirty filter clogged with old oil? Each time you change your oil (or have it changed), you should also replace the oil filter. And as long as you’re checking and filling all of your own fluids, a routine oil change is usually inexpensive. You can do this yourself, but if you have a car that sits low to the ground it can be a pain. Every 3 Months (3-5k Miles) Change Engine Oil It only takes a minute to lift up your wipers and inspect the blades for damage or debris that will interfere with their windshield wiping efficiency. To demonstrate, I enlisted the help of my 16-year old daughter who gets her license in a few weeks. It only takes a few minutes to check everything and once you know where to look and what to look for, it’s so easy that even a novice teen driver can do it without assistance.

MonthlyĮach month you should check fluid levels and general condition of the car, like if you need to remove water spots from car. Important Note: You should always consult your vehicle’s owner manual for maintenance guidelines specific to your vehicle. The recommendations within this post are GENERAL guidelines.

#Summer car maintenance checklist how to#

He made sure I, and our teen drivers, know how to perform all of the routine maintenance to: 1) save money and 2) help us understand how our vehicles function. He has always been good about making sure we do routine checks and maintenance on all of our vehicles to ward off expensive repairs or unexpected car trouble down the road (Haha! Double entendre. I wish I could take credit for the condition of our vehicles, but the truth is my family has my husband to thank.