10 essential vehicle checks
published:
Sunday | July 27, 2008
A mechanic repairing a car. It is important to pay attention to the mechanical well-being of your vehicles.- File
A good driver always ensures his vehicle is at peak performance as this ensures his safety and the safety of other road users.
To many, a car means genuine convenience and enjoyment. To others, it is the cause of great financial outlay, with months or years of 'tight' monthly payments. "Of course, the basis of a well-maintained car is a well-tuned engine," says L. Francis, an auto mechanic, trained in England.
"Without an engine that operates at full efficiency, a motor vehicle is a hazard on the highways and byways and a source of headache and pain for the driver," says Francis.
With the warm summer here, some will be turning their thoughts to vacation trips. Mike Jones, a St Andrew-based auto mechanic, offers 10 checks to ensure the family car is in tip-top shape for the road and the journey.
1. Check your brakes - With the engine idling, place your foot on the brake pedal motionless for about 15 seconds. If the brake falls away underfoot, a leak should exist in the brakes' hydraulic-fluid system. If you drive the car on a dry road, accelerate and stop with normal pressure, and the brake pedal feels springy, vibrates or if a squealing, clicking or scraping sound is heard as the pedal is pressed, get your brakes checked.
2. Tyres - Never get tired but give them a check. Any tyre with smooth bands appearing across two or more adjacent grooves should be replaced. Uneven tread wear indicates worries. Check for scuffed edges, flat spots, bulges or cuts.
3. Cooling system - the life of the motor vehicle. Remove the radiator cap while the engine is cold. Move your fingers around the inside of the radiator filler neck. If those fingers get covered with sludge, the cooling system needs draining, cleaning and flushing. Check radiator hoses to see if they feel mushy or have cracks.
Examine the fan belts. Belts should not be cracked or frayed, loose or tight.
4. Examine the fuel system - Have a friend or neighbour start the engine as you take note of the exhaust at the tail pipe. If there is black smoke, this is a clear indication that the fuel mixture is too rich and this vehicle is wasting expensive gasolene. Blue or blue-grey means the engine is burning oil. White smoke is nothing to worry about. This is condensation from the engine.
5. The automatic transmission - needs a little attention too. Drive the car for at least 20 minutes or 11 miles, stop the car and turn off the engine. Locate the dipstick, wipe the dipstick and dipstick holder clean. Draw the dipstick from its tube and examine the fluid. It should be reddish and should not smell like varnish. If the fluid fails to pass either test, a transmission malfunction is brewing. Seek a transmission specialist soon.
6. Front-wheel bearings - are important. The front wheels of most cars revolve on bearings. Their failure can cause a wheel to collapse. A faulty wheel bearing usually makes noise. However, it is difficult to hear while driving. You can test bearings by touching each front hubcap after a long drive. If the hubcap is hot, the bearings should be lubricated and adjusted.
7. The spark plug - should not be left like a rug. Have a person start the car, and allow it to idle for a while. Hold the shank of the screwdriver about a quarter inch from a clean metal part, such as a bolt on the engine. Strong blue sparks should jump the gap between the screwdriver and the engine part. If not, ignition trouble is brewing.
8. Steering - The movement or non-movement of the steering is cause for concern. While driving, do you get a vibration in the steering wheel? Or does the steering wheel feel loose? Does the car wander unsteadily from side to side, or does the steering wheel kick back as you turn? If any of these problems are detected, have the mechanic check the steering linkage.
9. The shock absorber - encourages a smooth ride. Every car has four of them, one in each corner. If the car continues to bounce after it goes over a bump; or if you have to oversteer to get back into a straight-ahead position after making a turn; if you hear a clanking noise as you drive around a corner, one or more of these shocks are weak. Consult your mechanic.
10. Exhaust system - Ensure that the exhaust system is working efficiently. If you detect on more than one occasion exhaust fumes in your motor car, especially with the windows closed, trouble is close by. Exhaust may be leaking into the car through a defective seam in the underbody. Inspect the muffler, the tailpipe and the exhaust pipe and consult the mechanic if necessary.
