The average lifespan of cars is now nearly 12 years. The same goes for motorcycles and other vehicles, or even longer! However, you need to take several steps to make vehicles last.
One step is regular vehicle maintenance. If you neglect it, your vehicle will soon have problems. So, where can you begin?
A good place to start is to know the common vehicle maintenance mistakes so you can avoid them! Read on for five common ones.
1. Neglecting Oil Changes
Changing oil is simple maintenance for cars and other vehicles, but many people neglect to do it! The engine starts to run less efficiently without an oil change; it can overheat, and parts begin to wear out. It can even lead to complete engine failure!
For how often you need to change the oil, it depends on the age of the car. Newer ones tend to require less frequent changes. Follow your car manual recommendations or look at your specific vehicle type online.
2. Getting the Tire Pressure Wrong
Maintenance for motorcycles and cars requires you to check the tire pressure. A common issue with motorcycles is overestimating tire pressure. This can impact the suspension and smoothness of the ride.
Maintenance for cars also requires regular tire pressure checks. Fuel economy, flat tires, and other issues arise if the tire pressure is too low.
3. Not Knowing the Basics
It is essential to familiarize yourself with your vehicle. How much weight can it carry, and what can it hold?
You should not overload vehicles when removing waste, for example. Vehicles such as grab lorries have specific load capacities. Read this article to learn more about grab lorry capacity.
Do not change a tire, jumpstart a car, or do other vehicle maintenance without knowledge. You could end up with more issues! It is better to seek professional help or learn in advance than cause more problems.
4. Ignoring Engine Lights
Everyone wants to ignore engine warning lights and hope they go away on their own. But the longer you ignore a light, the more maintenance may be required! And it could lead to vehicle failure.
Pay attention to warning lights. Lights include the check engine, battery, and temperature lights.
5. Irregular Maintenance
If you do not replace parts such as old wipers and air filters, there can be issues. Vehicle maintenance costs can be expensive. But they will be even more costly if you ignore the necessary tasks!
A regular vehicle maintenance service can help. Try to do this every 12 months or more regularly if problems occur.
Avoid Common Vehicle Maintenance Mistakes
It can feel overwhelming to know where to begin with vehicle maintenance. But the key to avoiding vehicle maintenance mistakes is to start somewhere! Your vehicle maintenance costs will be a lot cheaper if you keep on top of maintenance.
You can do some tasks if you learn car vehicle service basics. But other tasks should be left to professionals. They have the skills to get it right the first time.
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