As a car owner, maintenance is an important responsibility. If you don’t maintain your car, your gas mileage will suffer, and you risk the prospect of a breakdown. Not to mention fixing those breakdowns and problems can be expensive, especially when the issue involves a major part like your engine or transmission.

However, far too many people only focus on changing their oil and rotating their tires. While it’s true that these are important maintenance procedures, there are actually a ton of things that you should also be keeping track of. On this blog, our auto repair experts discuss ten common maintenance procedures that are often overlooked by vehicle owners.

Cabin Air Filter

Cabin air filters are responsible for filtering out dust and pollen which can be picked up by your ventilation system, reducing allergy symptoms and making your drive more comfortable. However, as with any other air filter they’ll eventually need to be replaced. Typically, you should look to have this replaced roughly every two years or so, or possibly even more if you drive a lot of miles every day.

Coolant

Antifreeze can become corrosive over time, which is why flushing your entire cooling system is such a crucially important service. The fresh coolant helps maintain the pH level in your system, which prevents the coolant from corroding the metal in your radiator, hoses, and more. Different cars have different coolant change requirements, so consult your owner’s manual to find out how often you should do it.

Brake Fluid

Without your power brake system, you wouldn’t be able to stop your car nearly as fast as you might need to, making this an ultra-important safety feature. However, over time your brake fluid that makes your brakes work will fill up with water from condensation, and your brakes won’t work so well. You should change your brake fluid every time you get your brakes serviced.

Fuel System

A clean fuel system allows your car to keep gas flowing to the engine, increasing power and fuel efficiency. Cleaning your fuel system and your fuel injectors removes the gunk and other residue which may have built up over time. It’s generally best to do this service every 30,000 miles to maintain peak performance and longevity.

Transmission

Your transmission fluid is responsible for keeping the many precisely-milled gears in your transmission lubricated, cooled, and rolling smoothly. Over time, gunk and dirt can get into this fluid, causing extra friction and wearing out your transmission’s parts. Your owner’s manual should tell you how often to have this service done for your car, but you should always do it before your car reaches 100,000 miles.

Power Steering

If you’ve ever tried to drive a car without power steering, you know how difficult and laborious it can be. Power steering also makes our cars safer by giving us increased control over our vehicles. However, over time the fluid which makes your power steering system work will fill up with gunk and dirt, causing corrosion and problems with your steering pump.

Wheel Alignment

Does your car pull to one side while you’re driving? Do your tires wear unevenly? This is a sign that your steering is out of alignment, and this is both dangerous and costly to a vehicle owner. You should have your alignment checked at least once per year, and checked again if you accidentally hit a large pothole or serious bump a little too hard.

Timing Belt

A timing belt is responsible for making sure that your vehicle’s valves are opened and closed at the perfect moments for engine performance. Timing belts can be difficult to see because of their location behind the timing cover, but if they break, they will cause catastrophic damage to the engine. Most manufactures recommend replacing every 100k miles.

Differential

Your differential is the gearbox located at the rear of your car which transfers the spinning motion of the driveshaft into motion which propels your car forward. This doesn’t need serviced often, but it’s important not to ignore it. Generally it’s a good idea to have your differential inspected at around 60,000 miles, and then again every 30,000 miles after that.

About Christian Brothers Automotive

Think keeping up with your car’s maintenance schedule is a hassle? Christian Brothers Automotive wants to make the process easy! With more than three decades of experience and thousands of satisfied customers, we’re proud to be the name you can depend on for all types of auto repair and maintenance. We offer a comfortable waiting area and even a free shuttle service so you can get where you need to go while we take care of your car’s maintenance needs.

Schedule a complete car care maintenance service by calling the auto repair experts at your local Christian Brothers Automotive. To find your neighborhood shop, search our interactive map here.

Posted by, Christian Brothers Automotive