5 Tips To Maintain Your Vehicle
5 Tips To Maintain Your Vehicle
Posted on August 1, 2024
Everyone needs a little TLC and self-care; our vehicles are the same. Vehicle maintenance and regular servicing can help prevent pricey repairs and breakdowns in the future.
In this blog, we’ll give you 5 tips to maintain your vehicle:
Car Maintenance Tips: Tire Pressure
- Tip #1: How to Check Tire Pressure
Car Maintenance Tips: Oil Change
- Tip #2: How to Check Engine Oil With a Dipstick
Car Maintenance Tips: Windshield Wipers
- Tip #3: How to Replace Windshield Wipers
- Tip #4: How to Check Wiper Fluid
Car Maintenance Tips: Cabin Air Filters
- Tip #5: How to Check Your Cabin Air Filter
Car Maintenance Tips: Tire Pressure
Every vehicle will have different tire pressure specifications, but most passenger vehicles fall between 28 and 36 PSI (pounds per square inch). Having the correct tire pressure for your car is crucial for your safety and the longevity of your tires.
Low tire pressure can lead to more friction and wear on your tires, putting you at risk of a tire blowout. Inversely, tire pressure that’s too high can make your drive feel bumpier as less of the tire is touching the ground.
We recommend checking your tire pressure every 2-4 weeks or before a long road trip. (Also, if you’re planning on carrying heavier loads than usual, like an RV for a summer camping trip) Remember to check tire pressure when they are cold! This is best done indoors or away from direct sunlight.
5 Tips To Maintain Your Vehicle - Tip #1: How To Check Tire Pressure
Start with finding the correct tire pressure for your vehicle. You can find this information in one of three places:
- On a sticker on the driver’s side door jamb
- Near the trunk lid or fuel door
- In your owner's manual
Find the two-digit number followed by PSI for all tires, as the front and back tires may have different PSI measurements.
You can now use a reliable gauge to check your tire pressure. Examples are the digital tire gauge, dial tire gauge, or stick tire gauge.
Follow the following steps to check your tire pressure:
- Remove the valve cap on the tire
- Apply the tire gauge to the valve
- Wait for the pressure reading on the screen
- Repeat the check a few times to ensure an accurate reading
- Deflate or inflate the tires as needed
If you don’t have a tire gauge or time to check your tire pressure, chat with one of our Service team experts.
Car Maintenance Tips: Oil Change
Regular oil changes are one of the best things you can do for your vehicle! We recommend getting an oil change every 5,000 - 10,000 KM, depending on the make and model of your car. A good rule of thumb is every six months.
Your engine oil is responsible for lubricating the moving parts in your vehicle’s engine and reducing friction damage. Oil degrades with heat, so regular oil changes to remove the broken-down engine oil will keep your car healthy.
To check the health of your engine oil, use the dipstick under your vehicle’s hood.
5 Tips To Maintain Your Vehicle - Tip #2: How To Check Engine Oil With A Dipstick
The dipstick is the device used to check the level and health of your engine oil. Use the dipstick to help you determine if your engine oil needs to be topped up or changed.
Before pulling out the dipstick, ensure the car has been turned off for at least 5-15 minutes and is parked on a level surface.
Now, follow these steps:
- Pull the dipstick out of the tube carefully to avoid oil spray
- Wipe the stick on a paper towel so it’s entirely clean
- Fully insert the dipstick back into the tube to get a level reading
- Remove the dipstick again and measure the reading using the level indicators on the dipstick
Then, use your readings to determine your engine oil health:
- If the oil is near the “Full” mark, you’re A-okay!
- If near or below the “Low” mark, top up the engine oil.
- No oil on the dipstick? Book a service appointment as that’s an issue of concern.
- Is the oil darker than a honey brown or amber colour? Then it’s time for an oil change.
Read: Engine Noise: 5 Sounds You Should Never Ignore
Car Maintenance Tips: Windshield Wipers
Your visibility on the road is essential to your safety, and so are your windshield wipers. If your wipers are cracked, ineffective, or leaving streaks on your windshield, it’s time to change.
5 Tips To Maintain Your Vehicle - Tip #3: How To Replace Windshield Wipers
There are a few different types of windshield wipers, including those with a hook connector or pin connector.
To change windshield wipers with a hook connecter:
- Pull the tab where the wiper blade meets the arm and slide the blade off
- Attach a new wiper blade onto the hook and push the tab back down
To change windshield wipers with a pin connector:
- Pull the blade’s tab and remove it from the pin on the wiper’s arm
- Attach the new blade to the pin
- Push the blade’s tab down to lock it in place
Watch this tutorial from “Dad, How Do I?” to see it in action!
Did you know you can get new windshield wipers during service appointments and oil changes? Book your appointment today!
5 Tips To Maintain Your Vehicle - Tip #4: How To Check Wiper Fluid
We continue our 5 tips to maintain your vehicle with wiper fluid. Ever drive down a highway on a long road trip and realize you’re out of wiper fluid? Not fun. (And not safe either) That’s why we recommend checking your wiper fluid when you fill your car up.
How to check your wiper fluid levels:
1. Open your vehicle’s hood and locate the washer fluid reservoir (usually a white, translucent container with a water or windshield symbol on the cap)
2. Be sure to check if there is a second reservoir for a rear wiper, as some models may differ.
3. Remove the cap and check the fluid level. If it’s full, no need to refill! If not, top up with some season-specific washer fluid.
4. Replace the cap and make sure it pops into place securely.
5. Close the hood and get back on the road!
Car Maintenance Tips: Cabin Air Filters
How does your car keep the air you breathe clean? The answer is a cabin air filter.
These filters are designed to clean the air entering the car’s cabin and remove dust, exhaust, pollen and other contaminants. However, they do need to be replaced once they’re dirty. Once these filters reach that point they can no longer effectively clean the air. (Hello sneezing and air pollution!)
Check if your cabin air filter is dirty using the following steps.
5 Tips To Maintain Your Vehicle - Tip #5: How To Check Your Cabin Air Filter
Although every vehicle is different, we recommend checking your cabin air filter every 10,000 - 15,000 KM. You can purchase a new cabin filter from our Parts Department to replace it yourself or have one of our Service Technicians replace it for you.
Check your cabin air filter:
- Remove the glove box on the right-hand side of the dashboard
- Reach in and remove the air filter bracket
- Inspect the filter for dirt and residue (hint - new filters are white!)
- Replace the filter if it’s dirty, or reinsert the filter if it’s still clean and effective
- Re-attach the air filter bracket and glove box
Read: Car Maintenance Tips For Spring
Your Car Maintenance Experts
Do you have a service-related issue beyond our 5 tips to maintain your vehicle? Need help from an expert? Our 5-star service technicians are qualified and certified to service and help keep your car running smoothly. (Seriously, our service team regularly gets 5-star reviews on Google!)
We service all makes and models, have a large genuine parts inventory and have convenient location hours. Visit our service team at Woodbine Nissan here at 60 Queens Plate Dr, Etobicoke, ON M9W 6N2.