As temperatures drop and ice slowly creeps into our daily lives, car faults seem inevitable. Taking some small steps to maintain your car are certain to reduce the likelihood of an expensive trip to the garage. 

Steps you can take at home to keep your car on the road

Before you check in for a service, there are some measures you can take on your own to dramatically help the health of your car. 

• Look out for signs of a mechanical fault 
• Check your oil 
• Windscreen wash 
• Check your windscreen wipers 
• Are your tyres in good condition?
• Keep your coolant levels up 
• Are your brakes making any noise? 
• Car battery health 

Look out for the signs of a mechanical fault

If your dashboard suddenly has a new light when you’re on the road, it is likely alerting you to an issue that is going on with your car. Do not ignore these, though your car is running, they are warning you of an issue that could develop into a serious problem. If you are unsure of what any of the warning lights mean, give us a call on 01733 333838. 

Check your oil 

It can be easy to forget, but if you make sure that you keep the oil level in your engine at the right level, your engine will work at the best possible level. If you aren’t sure what oil your car uses, feel free to get in touch with us and we would be happy to help. 

Make sure you have windscreen wash 

Windscreen wash is a legal requirement. Being able to quickly clean your windscreen is crucial to keeping safe on the road, especially during winter when the weather is unpredictable. Before setting off on the road, it’s always good to double check you have enough windscreen fluid in the tank. 

Check your windscreen wipers

Having your windscreen wash topped up won’t be much use if your windscreen wipers are faulty! Take some time to ensure that both of your windscreen wipers work smoothly on all settings. If you are unsure if they are working properly, feel free to get in touch with us on 01733 333838 to arrange a check. 

Keep your car coolant topped up 

Despite the name, coolant is needed in the winter months to ensure that your engine doesn’t freeze as the temperature drops. Always double check that you have a sufficient amount in your engine. 

Are your tyres in good condition? 

Arguably the most important part of your car to check during the winter months are the condition of your tyres. Keeping your tyre tread above the legal limit ensures that your car is able to grip the road in all conditions. Bald or damaged tyre tread can put you in serious danger on the winter roads. 

If you are unsure how to check your tyres, check out our blog on how to check the tread of your tyres.

Test your brakes

Brakes can be heard to test on your own. Some telltale signs that your car brakes need looking at are:

• Does the brake pedal feel any different to normal?   
• Have brake warning lights appeared on your dashboard? 
• Do the brakes make any sharp noises or new noises when used? 

Checking your car battery

The cold winter months are particularly hard on car batteries. If your car battery is older, faults will become increasingly common. Battery checks are a part of our servicing, but if you are concerned, we can do a battery check on its own for free. Give us a call on, 01733 333838, to sort out a check on us. 

Booking a service for your car

The best part about a car service, other than its surprisingly low cost, is that our technicians will check all of the above factors for you. On top of more thorough checks, having a trained mechanic have a look at the little things can save you time and reassure you that your car will keep you safe on the road. 

If you are tight on time, unsure of how to check your vehicle and want all elements of your car tested, book in for a service with us. Winter is a very busy time for us here, so please don’t wait to book! 

Give us a call on 01733 333838, or get in touch with us on any of our social media profiles and we will be happy to try and fit you in.