A Quarter’s Worth of Maintenance

Modern cars have a million-well, at least thousands of parts. Some of these parts can wear out or at least need periodic adjustments. You can minimize wear and cost by checking these components and replacing them on a regular basis. The CAR Maintenance System presented in this website suggests that you check eight different components about every three months or 3,000 miles. (That’s 4,800 km for you metric fans.) This article describes how to make those eight checks. Of course, the frequency with which you make these checks depends on the age of the car and how much you drive it. Older cars need more frequent checks, even once a month. For newer cars that aren’t driven as much, you can get away with checking these components about every six months. However, running down the list takes less than an hour on most cars, so you might want to do it more often. Better safe than sorry, right?

All Charged Up

Batteries store electrical power for starting the car, running the radio, and other necessities. Modem cars use 12-volt batteries; your house uses about 120 volts. Even so, there’s still enough power in a car battery to get your attention in a decidedly unpleasant way. The charging system (the alternator and voltage regulator) replaces the usedup electricity. If it doesn’t get replaced, your car won’t start.

It’s very important to work safely around your car’s battery. First, the battery uses acid and lead to store electricity. Second, electric current from a battery (at SO or more amps) can quickly destroy a car’s computer system or smaller wires and components. Wear rubber gloves and safety goggles when working around the battery, and make sure you don’t touch metal objects between the battery terminals and other metal. The only tools you’ll probably need are a battery terminal cleaner (a couple of bucks at any auto parts store) and a wrench for loosening bolts. You could use a standard wire brush, but, if you do, don’t use it for other cleaning purposes because the battery acid can be transferred to other surfaces and cause damage. Also, put out that cigarette first! A flame or spark near a battery-even a “sealed” battery-can cause an explosion.

To check the battery and charging system on your car, follow these steps:

1. Identify the terminals. One has a + (positive) symbol on or near it and one has a – (negative) symbol. The cable on one of these two terminals is attached to the engine block and the other goes to the starter. The one that goes to the engine is called the ground terminal; this is usually (but not always) the negative terminal.
2. Remove the plastic terminal caps, if there are any, from the terminals and carefully brush away any white powder (corrosion). If the battery cables attach to the battery with a nut, remove the nut and clean the terminal and cable end with a wire brush, and then skip to step 6. If the battery uses terminal posts, follow steps 3 through S.
3. Use a wrench to loosen the bolts at the end of the battery cable where it wraps around the ground terminal. Carefully Wiggle the cable end up and down until it comes off the terminal. (If the end doesn’t come off the terminal easily, buy and use a battery terminal puller from the parts store.) Then loosen and remove the cable on the other terminal. Warning: Striking a terminal or cable end with a hammer to loosen it can loosen the terminal inside, ruining the battery (I know from experience).
4. Place the end of the terminal-cleaning tool over each terminal and rotate it a few times. The wire brush inside the tool will clean the terminal post.
5. Twist and open the terminal-cleaning tool to expose the round wire brush inside. Insert this brush into the cable ends and rotate the tool to clean the inside of the ends. If the cable ends are broken or the wire is frayed, replace the cable with one of the same length.
6. Use an old paint brush or a Christmas tie to dust away dirt on the top and sides of the battery. Make sure the debris doesn’t fall on other components or on the car’s paint. If the battery is very dirty, remove it from the car and carefully clean it with a solution of a pint of water and a teaspoon of baking soda (season to taste). Make sure the solution doesn’t get inside the battery.
7. If you have one, use a voltmeter ($10 at Radio Shack) to check the battery’s voltage. A fully charged battery should read 12.5 to 13.5 volts of power. If it is less, take the battery to a gas station for charging or do it yourself with a battery charger (about $25 to $50). A mechanic’s battery charger (a few hundred dollars) also can tell you the condition of the battery and whether it will hold a charge. If it won’t, replace it now before you get stranded in a land where batteries cost twice as much.
8. When reinstalling your car’s battery, attach the grounded terminal last. Install treated felt washers (from your parts store) under the cable ends to reduce corrosion. Place the cable end over the terminal and then tighten the bolt until the end fits snugly. Don’t overtighten the bolt because cable ends are made of soft metal that can break easily.

Hosing Around

The most intimidating components on your car are also pretty easy to check and maintain: hoses. Open the hood of your car and you’ll see all shapes and sizes of hoses from l/Z inch to 4 inches in diameter. These hoses deliver fuel, circulate engine coolant, move refrigerant, and much more. Check them once every three months and replace them if they seem soft or have cuts in the surface. If you wait until they actually break, you may have to call for an expensive tow truck to get you off the highway and then a taxi to get you to Aunt Minnie’s wedding on time. Here’s how to inspect and, if necessary, replace worn hoses.

To check hoses on your car, follow these steps:

• With the engine running, open the hood and begin looking for patterns to your car’s hoses. To help define the maze, check the underside of the hood for stickers that serve as a map. You may see stickers labeled Vacuum House Routing, Emission Hose Routing, or For Pizza Delivery, call 1-800555-1234. Other hose systems are self-explanatory, going to and from the radiator (cooling system), to the carburetor (fuel system), or to the car’s heater (heating system). If hoses are not colorcoded, you can often identify families of hoses by their relative size. Vacuum lines, for example, are all about the same diameter. You can often identify hoses by the end connection as well (see step 3).
• Inspect each hose, squeezing it to see whether there are any cuts, leaks, or wear. Listen for soft hissing that identifies a loose vacuum line. Look for liquids that identify a leaking hose or fitting. A shower when you squeeze means a definite problem.

• Check the ends of each hose to make sure they are securely attached. If they are not secure, tighten them. Vacuum lines usually slip on. Cooling system hoses use screw clamps on the ends that you can tighten with a screwdriver. Fuel lines often use spring clamps with tips you squeeze to loosen pressure on the hose.
• Turn off the engine before replacing any hoses, or you will have fluid everywhere. If you cannot easily remove a hose from the car to find a replacement part, take measurements. Remove one end of the hose, if you can, and measure the inside and outside diameters. Then measure the length. Write down any identifying numbers, such as TAl-OS, that appear on the hose. If you have a service manual for your car, look up the part to determine what it’s called.

Cool It

The cooling system is a critical part of your car. If your engine gets too hot, it can quickly damage itself, so checking your car’s cooling system is an important step in keeping it trouble-free.

To check the cooling system on your car, follow these steps:

1. With the engine cold, open the radiator cap. Some caps require you to lift a lever on the cap that releases pressure. Others are twisted one-quarter turn to relieve pressure. Newer systems might have a cap on a separate coolant reservoir near the radiator instead of on the radiator itself.
2. Visually inspect the cap and clean off any rust deposits. If the cap leaks or is more than a couple of years old, replace it. The cost of a new cap is typically less than $ IO-a fraction of the cost of a new engine damaged by overheating.
3. Visually inspect the coolant in the system. The top of the coolant should be near the top of the radiator or near the FULL mark on the coolant reservoir. Fill asneeded with a mixture of half coolant and half water.
4. Inspect the cooling system hoses if you haven’t already done so. There are usually two: one between the top and one between the bottom of the radiator and the engine. Radiator hoses should feel firm, not mushy. Check and tighten the screw clamps on the end of the hoses.
5. Inspect the front and back side of the radiator for debris and damage. Bugs, leaves, papers, and other debris can block the airflow and reduce the radiator’s efficiency. Use a soft brush or compressed air to remove debris. Make sure you don’t bend any of the honeycomb fins on the radiator. They allow the passing air into the radiator to keep your engine cool.
6. Inspect the top and bottom of the radiator for small leaks or rusty spots that may soon become leaks. If you find any, take your car to a radiator shop where it can be repaired before the problem becomes big enough to mean replacing the radiator rather than repairing it. More important, preventive maintenance can mean getting to the big game on time and avoiding a costly towing bill.

Shifting Fluidly

Your car has either an automatic (shifts automatically) or manual (you shift gears) transmission. Each uses a fluid or lubricant to keep it healthy. At least four times a year, you should check the fluid level in your transmission to make sure it is full. You’ll need a clean rag to check the automatic transmission fluid from under the hood. You’ll need to get under most cars to check the lubricant level in a manual transmission.

To check the automatic transmission fluid level in your car, follow these steps:

1. Make sure the car is level. Set the car’s parking brake and start the engine. When the engine is warm and at idle speed, move the transmission selector through each gear range a couple of times, ending at neutral.
2. With the engine still running, lift the car’s hood and look for the automatic transmission dipstick. It looks like the engine oil dipstick but is located behind a rear-wheel-drive engine or above the transmission on a front-wheel-drive car. The dipstick often is painted a different color to distinguish it from the engine’s oil dipstick.
3. Got it? Pull the transmission dipstick out from the tube and visually check that the fluid appears reddish-brown, identifying it as automatic transmission fluid. Carefully touch the liquid on the end of the dipstick to make sure it is warm. It should not be hot. Then, using a clean rag, wipe the dipstick clean and replace it in the tube until the dipstick cap seats.
4. Pull out the transmission dipstick again and read the level. Some automatic transmission dipsticks are stamped with words like MAX. LEVEL HOT IDLING IN NEUTRAL-or not. The safe operating range is marked.
5. If the automatic transmission fluid is low, add fluid through the dipstick tube. You’ll need a special funnel (from your handy-dandy auto parts supplier) to get the fluid into the small tube, but it can be done. Use the type of automatic transmission fluid recommended by the manufacturer. It’s probably identified in the owner’s manual. If not, ask the auto parts clerk what type is recommended for your car. Add just a little at a time until it is near the top of the operating range shown on the dipstick.

To check the manual transmission lubricant level in your car, follow these steps:

1. Look under your car to find the transmission.On a rear-wheel-drive car, the manual transmission is below the floor-mounted gear shifter. On a front-wheel-drive car, the transmission or transaxle unit is under the hood and beside the engine (usually on the passenger side of the car). You might need to safely jack up the car and place stands underneath it to find room to work. Because the transmission fluid must be as level as possible when checked, don’t raise the car any more than necessary to get to it.
2. To check the level of fluid in the transmission or transaxle, first find the level plug. It’s typically a bolthead on the side of the transmission casing. Use a wrench to turn it counterclockwise and remove it.
3. It’s pinky-finger time. The transmission lubricant should be filled up to the bottom of the level plug hole. Insert your smallest finger inside the level plug hole to see if it is. If not, add the manufacturer’s recommended lubricant through the level plug hole until the top of the liquid is at the bottom of the hole.

For manual transmission fluid, some car manufacturers recommend a heavy lubricant such as SAE 80-90 weight, and others use the same oil as in the engine. Check your car’s owner’s manual or service manual for recommendations.

Check the Differential Lubricant Level

A car’s differential includes the gears that distribute the single drive shaft’s rotation to two or four wheels. Rear-wheel-drive cars have a differential on the rear axle. Frontwheel-drive cars include the differential in the transmission, so there isn’t a separate differential unit. Four-wheel drive cars use a transfer case to distribute power to all four wheels. Most car manufacturers recommend that the differential be filled with an SAE 80-90 weight lubricant. Transfer cases for four-wheel drive vehicles typically use a lubricant similar to (but not the same as) automatic transmission fluid. You might need to order this special concoction from the car’s authorized dealer. It’s refined from pure gold found only in the Andes. Check your car’s owner’s manual or service manual for requirements.

To check the differential lubricant level in your car, follow these steps:

1. Look under your car to find the differential. On a rear-wheel-drive car, the differential is a round metal case between the two rear wheels. The transfer case for a four-wheel drive car is on either the front or rear axle. If necessary, safely jack the car up and place stands underneath it.
2. To check the level of fluid in the differential or transfer case, first find the level plug. On many cars, it’s a bolthead on the side of the casing; use a wrench to tum it counterclockwise and remove it. On some cars, it’s a rubber plug on the side of the casing; pry it off with a small screwdriver.
3. Use your finger to check the lubricant level. It should be filled up to the bottom of the level plug hole. If it isn’t, add the manufacturer’s recommended lubricant until the top of the liquid is at the bottom of the level plug hole.

When Your Car Is Exhausted

Send your car on a vacation after it has been overworked. Not unless you get to go along, you say? You might think your car’s exhaust system always tells you when it’s not working well by making noise. That’s not completely true. A leaking exhaust can also quietly send dangerous fumes into the passenger compartment, making folks sick or worse. Instead of waiting for problems to happen, make sure to check your car’s exhaust system quarterly. It’s actually quite easy.

To check the exhaust system on your car, follow these steps:

1. Make sure the engine of your car has been off for at least a couple of hours to allow the exhaust pipes and parts to cool down. The catalytic converter can hold heat for many hours.
2. If necessary, raise and safely block both ends of your car to gain access to its belly.
3. Visually trace and inspect the exhaust pipes from where they exit the engine (called the exhaust manifold) to the rear of the car. If you have one, use a rubber mallet to softly strike the exhaust pipe, catalytic converter, resonator, and muffler. A small piece of wood can be used instead. You’re checking for holes caused by rust.
4. Inspect the exhaust system hangers. They consists of strips of metal and strapping that hang the exhaust system from the bottom of the car. Make sure they are doing their job.
5. Inspect the underside of the car for holes that can allow noxious exhaust fumes to enter the passenger compartment. They must be sealed for your passengers’ safety. Depending on the size and type of holes, they can be sealed as you would repair body damage.

Wiping Away the Raindrops

Unless you live on Mt. Waialeale on the Hawaiian island of Kauai (where 480 inches of rain fall a year!), your windshield wiper blades probably won’t wear out very often. Instead, they will deteriorate from sun exposure, or they will build up with automotive lubricants thrown up by cars passing in the rain. Don’t wait until a rainy day to check and service your car’s windshield wiper blades. You don’t want to stand outside in a downpour in your shirtsleeves trying to make your wipers do their job. Check them as you make your other quarterly checks. Then, when you need them, your windshield wipers will be ready to serve you. “Would you like catsup with your fries?”

To check the windshield wiper blades on your car, follow these steps:

1. Visually inspect the windshield wiper mechanism for damage or loose parts. Also clear the area around the wiper arms of debris that can slow down their movement.
2. Inspect the windshield wiper blades for tears and other damage. Replace damaged or deteriorated blades with identical blades. Remove them in the auto parts store’s parking lot and take them in for a match. Blades and their frame are removed by lifting the arm and unhooking the end of the arm from the center of the blade’s frame. Some blades require you to push a button in the center of the frame release the blade. Helpful auto parts clerks can find the exact replacement for you.

It’s a wonder what a little engine oil on the fingertips can do to bond man or woman and machine. So let’s get started.

Every Seven Days or Once a Week-Whichever Comes First

Got a couple of minutes? That’s all it takes once a week to make sure your car is in good shape. In fact, it takes less time to check your car every week than to worry about it.

Your car is a drinker; it uses several fluids. These fluids include oil, coolant, windshield washer fluid, brake fluid, and maybe power steering fluid. Your car also uses pressurized air to keep tires inflated. The fluids can evaporate, deteriorate, or leak out, and the air can leak out. In each case, the fluid or air must be checked and replaced as needed. That’s something you can easily do on a regular basis to help keep your car troublefree. Your weekly checks can be done over the weekend or before you drive to work on Monday morning (or whenever your work week starts). If you don’t drive your car very often-maybe it’s your second car-you can check the fluids and pressure less frequently, but make a habit of it. Make your checks on the 1st and 15th of the month, or on even-numbered Wednesdays, for example. If you’d rather watch the odometer than the calendar, make these checks after every 250 miles of driving. Or you can make these checks every time you fill your gas tank. The important thing is to do them regularly.

You might not need tools for these checks. They are mostly visual checks. However, you might need a wrench or pliers to open a power steering or brake fluid reservoir. You will need an air pressure gauge to check pressure in your car’s tires, but you can probably borrow one from a service station attendant. By keeping a rag in the trunk or under your car’s seat, you can make sure you don’t get your hands dirty as you make these checks. You can perform these checks just about anywhere. Some people do them in their garage. Others do them in the driveway or in the parking lot after work. You should be able to efficiently complete these weekly checks in just a few minutes. To ensure that fluids are settled (and you don’t get burned), make sure your engine hasn’t been running within the past half hour. To make the process easier, the weekly checks described in the rest of this Article appear in a logical order.

Check Oil Level

Parts in your car’s engine rotate at tremendous speeds. Oil circulates in the engine to lubricate these parts and keep them from wearing out. When the engine is off, this oil settles to the lowest spot in the engine-the oil pan. An oil pan stick or dipstick was installed on the engine by the manufacturer to allow you to check the level of the oil. Warning: Don’t attempt to check your oil in a white tuxedo.

To check the oil level in your car, follow these steps:

1. Have an old rag on hand to wipe the dipstick. Make sure your car is level and the engine is cool. Open the hood and look for the dipstick. It is a rod with a curved handle sticking up from one side or the other of your engine. Push the dipstick down in its tube, if needed, to make sure it accurately measures the oil level in the oil pan.
2. Pull the handle up to remove the dipstick rod from the engine. There should be a light or dark brown liquid coating the last couple of inches on the rod. Hold the rod away from your fine clothes to make sure oil doesn’t drip on them. (If the liquid is reddish-brown, you have the automatic transmission dipstick. Replace it and keep looking for the engine oil dipstick.)
3. At the lowest end of the dipstick rod will be marks and maybe the word FULL. Lower on the rod will be another mark and maybe the word ADD. Some dipsticks have only a narrow area stamped with a criss-cross design or just two dots. If so, the highest point of the design indicates FULL and the lowest point means ADD. Visually check to identify the highest point on the stick covered by oil. This point should be somewhere between the FULL and ADD words or marks.
4. If the top edge of oil is above the ADD mark, the oil level is okay. If the top edge of oil is below the ADD mark, you must add oil without overfilling it. How much? For most cars, the distance between the ADD and FULL lines is about one quart of oil. So you can add one quart of oil. If the oil mark is well below the ADD mark, put one quart in, let it settle a few minutes, and then recheck the oil once.
5. To add oil, first find the oil cap on the engine. Some cars have a twist-off cap on the valve cover (a long and wide part on top of the engine that often has a design or lettering). Other cars have an oil-filler tube with a round cap that you should pull off. To make sure this is the right place to put oil, remove the cap and look for signs of dark brown oil buildup.
6. Remove the cap from the oil container (of course, you’ve made sure the oil is the same as that already in the car) and carefully pour oil into the engine. If this can’t be done without spilling oil on the engine, use a funnel. (Oil won’t hurt the outside of the engine, but it smells awful once the engine gets hot.)
7. Wait a few minutes until the oil settles into the oil pan, and then recheck the oil level to make sure it’s between the ADD and FULL marks. Filling oil past the FULL mark can cause more harm to an engine than running it too low. Why? Because excess oil is worked up into a lather by moving parts, reducing the oil’s lubrication qualities.

Keeping Your Car’s Cool

Another important fluid in your car is the coolant. Coolant is a mixture of antifreeze fluid and water that circulates throughout your car’s engine to remove excess heat. The coolant then circulates throughout the radiator where air flow cools the liquid before its journey back through the engine.

To check the radiator coolant level, follow these steps:

1. Make sure the engine and radiator are cool. If not, wait until they are before checking coolant level.
2. Open the hood and find the radiator. It’s typically located at the front of the engine compartment just behind the bumper. On most cars, a coolant reserve tank located nearby holds the top layer of coolant from the radiator. If so, look at the side of the coolant reserve tank for two lines: one identifies MAX (maximum) levels, and one identifies MIN (minimum) levels. The highest level of coolant should be between these two marks.
3. If coolant is low, tum the radiator cap counterclockwise one-quarter tum to relieve any pressure remaining in the cooling system. Then push the cap down and tum it counterclockwise until it is off.
4. Check the coolant level in the radiator. If it is below the base of the filler neck, add coolant (remember: half-antifreeze and half-water), and then replace the radiator cap.
5. Open the cap on the coolant reserve tank and add coolant until the level is between the minimum and maximum marks. Replace the tank cap. Clean up any coolant that may have spilled on the floor or ground.

Check Power Steering Fluid Level

Not all cars have power steering. Steering systems have evolved over the years so that power steering is not necessary on many smaller cars. But if your car has it, you should check the power steering fluid level once a week or every 250 miles unless the owner’s manual says otherwise.

To check the power steering fluid level, follow these steps:

1. Find the power steering reservoir on your car. Power steering units pump or circulate hydraulic fluid to help you easily steer the car with reduced effort. This fluid is held in a reservoir attached to the power steering pump. On most cars, this pump is rotated by a fan belt at the front of the engine, so that’s where to look first.
2. To check the power steering fluid level, remove the cap or top to the reservoir. The cap on some power steering reservoirs has a dipstick attached to the underside, indicating the full and add levels. Other reservoirs have a mark on the inside of the casing to show where the level should be filled to. Note: Power steering fluid expands when hot. That means the level in the reservoir is higher if the engine has been running recently. Some power steering dipsticks are marked for FULL HOT as well as FULL COLD. Check the level when cold, if possible.
3. To add power steering fluid, check your car’s owner’s manual for the fluid brand recommended by the manufacturer. Then pour fluid into the reservoir as needed to bring it up to the full mark. Don’t overfill. That’s it. You should check your power steering fluid level weekly or every 250 miles, but you shouldn’t have to top it off more than every couple of months. If you do, there’s a leak somewhere and repair is in order.

Check Brake Fluid Levels

Brakes are obviously important to your car. Without them, you would run right past where you wanted to stop. Brake systems use hydraulics to magnify the pressure of your foot on the pedal to stop the car. Hydraulic systems, in turn, use hydraulic fluid. In this case, the fluid is called brake fluid. Power brake systems also use a booster to enhance your power to stop the car.

To check brake fluid levels in your car, follow these steps:

1. Find the master brake cylinder. On many cars, look under the hood on the wall between the engine and the driver’s area (called the firewall). The power brake booster, a large round unit, may be mounted on it. Some import and older cars have them under the floor below the driver, accessed by moving the carpet to expose a metal plate that is, in turn, moved to uncover the master brake cylinder.
2. Clean off the top of the reservoir before opening it so that crud doesn’t fall into it. Then remove the cover from the master brake cylinder reservoir. The cover usually has a four- or six-sided head that can be unscrewed with a wrench.
3. Visually check the level of brake fluid in the reservoir. Make sure the fluid is up to just below the cover’s threads or a FULL mark on the inside of the reservoir.
4. To add brake fluid, make sure you have a can of brake fluid (the owner’s manual tells you which Department of Transportation, or DOT, grade to use) that you opened in the past year. At about two bucks a pint, you can afford to throw out older brake fluid and use only the fresh stuff. With the master cylinder cover removed, carefully pour brake fluid in until the level is about 1/4 inch below the top. Replace and tighten the cap.

If the master brake cylinder is empty or nearly empty, you might have to bleed the brakes. One more related task: Some cars have a hydraulic clutch booster. This helps your foot move the car’s clutch plate or disc. If your car has one, you can check your owner’s manual to see where and what to do about it. In most cases, the clutch booster uses brake fluid, so checking the fluid level for that is the same as checking the fluid level for the hydraulic clutch booster.

Check Tires and Pressure

Tires of a few decades ago, called bias tires, needed to be replaced once every year or two. Today’s radial tires can, with regular maintenance, last five years (or one year of a teenage driver). Today’s tires also are safer and make a car easier to steer when compared to the older, bias tires.The key statement in the last paragraph is “with regular maintenance.” That’s where you come in. You can either check the air pressure in your tires or ask the gas station attendant to do it once a week. By doing so, you can make sure you get SO,OOO-not 2S,OOO-miles from your SO,OOO-mile tires. It can also save fuel because underinflated tires reduce fuel economy.

To check tires and pressure on your car, follow these steps:

1. Read your car’s owner’s manual or the side of a tire to learn what air pressure you should have in your tires, measured in pounds-per-square-inch or psi. Most modem car tires have recommended pressure somewhere between 24 and 34 psi when the tires are cold. A typical recommended cold pressure is 28 psi. Add 2 to 4 psi when carrying a heavy load or pulling a trailer. The tire’s maximum load pressure is embossed on the tire wall. Don’t exceed it or the tire police will repossess your tread. Actually, excessive pressure makes tires wear unevenly and reduces their usable life.
2. Check tire pressure in your driveway or at a nearby gas station when the tires are not hot from driving. Find the valve stem on the front left (driver’s side) tire. It protrudes from the wheel rim. If the valve stem has a cap, unscrew it and set it aside. Place the mouth of your tire pressure gauge against the end of the valve stem. Push it until you hear a rush of air, and then release it. The tire gauge has a dial or a sliding scale that indicates how much pressure is in the tire.
3. If air pressure is lower than it should be, add air using an air line at a gas station or tire shop, or a hand pump (and get the added benefit of exercise). If pressure is greater than it should be, use the nipple on the tire gauge to press the center of the tire valve stem and release air. Release a little, and then recheck the pressure. Remember to replace the valve stem cap if your tire has one.
4. While you’re there, visually inspect the tire for wear. Some tires have a tread indicator that shows you when the tires are too worn to be safe. Inspect the tire for damage as well. A cut in the tire casing can become an auto accident just a few miles down the road. Wear across the tire tread should be even. If not, take your car into a tire shop.
5. Repeat this process for the left-rear, spare, right-rear, and right-front tires. This circling of the car makes it easier to remember which tires have been checked if you’re interrupted. Don’t forget the spare tire.

Why all this ruckus about tire pressure? Because the main reason why tires don’t live as long as they’re designed to is not high blood pressure; it’s low tire pressure. Low tire pressure makes tires wear out at the edges. It also makes the car ride sloppy. Checking tire pressure once a week or every 250 miles is an easy way to increase the life and safety of your tires, and it takes just one to two minutes.

When the Bottom of the Tire Is Flat

Before driving anywhere, even a quick two-mile hop, make sure you have a good spare tire on board and the correct tools.

To change a flat tire, follow these steps:

1. If you’re at the side of the road, turn on your emergency flashers and raise the trunk lid to signal to others that you are having a problem.
2. Use the flat edge of a tire tool or screwdriver from your trunk to pry the hubcap (if your tire has one) off the wheel rim. Use a tire tool to loosen, but not remove, the four or five lug nuts holding the wheel to the axle.
3. Place a block behind a wheel on the other axle. Then place the car jack under the car frame or on the bumper as described in the car’s owner’s manual. Stop raising the jack when the wheel is high enough to rotate the tire without touching the ground.
4. Remove the lug nuts and place them in the hubcap so they don’t get lost. Remove the tire and set it out of the way.
5. Install the spare tire on the car. Of course, you’ve been checking spare tire pressure during your weekly checks, so you know the tire is good! Screw the lug nuts on the car by hand, making sure the tapered side of each nut faces the wheel.

1. Lower the jack until the tire firmly touches the ground but isn’t supporting the car. Use the tire tool to tighten the lug nuts in a criss-cross pattern.
2. When all lug nuts are tight, lower the jack until it can be removed. Replace the wheelcover by pressing it against the wheel rim. If the wheelcover won’t easily go on, place it in the trunk and drive to a service station or tire shop so that they can install it for you.
3. Visit a tire shop immediately to have your flat repaired or replaced. You don’t want to get stuck 15 miles from town without a spare tire! Safety First.

That’s about it. Invest a few minutes in your car once a week and you’ll not only save hundreds of dollars in potential repair bills, but you’ll also understand your car better. You might decide to hire everything else out-or not. In any case, you’ll have a clearer understanding and a sense of satisfaction-about your car.