Car Maintenance Tips Every Woman Should Know
Maintain Your Car Like a Girl
If you weren’t already aware, June is national safety month, and in that vein, this article will address some of the car maintenance tips that every woman should know. Obviously, these tips are not relegated to women, only. In fact, they can apply to anyone who is has a desire to extend the life of their vehicles while remaining safe on the road.
The Five Tenets of Vehicle Maintenance
Whether you’re commuting to work, running errands, or chauffeuring your children to school, it is paramount that your vehicle is in good working order; to help facilitate this goal, you're encouraged to spend a few minutes maintaining your car, truck, or SUV. In an effort to make this information easy to digest, this article is broken down into 5 easy "DIY" maintenance tips including
∙ Changing your oil
∙ Checking tire pressure
∙ Replacing headlight bulbs
∙ Changing windshield wiper blades/wiper fluid
∙ Scheduling tune-ups as needed
Does this list constitute a comprehensive enumeration of all things automotive? Of course, not; it is, however, a list of a few of the main things that you should focus on as a vehicle owner.
Oil Changes
Changing your oil is the single best thing you can do to extend the life of your engine. If you're not willing to change your oil yourself, you should, at the very least, be mindful of its importance. Although oil change intervals can vary, depending on the vehicle, oil changes are recommended every 5,000 to 7,000 miles. With that being said, you’re encouraged to refer to your owner’s manual for oil change intervals for the specific make/model of your vehicle.
Improve Your Gas Mileage
If you have been wondering about how to improve your vehicle’s fuel economy, look no further than your tires. Properly inflated tires can improve your gas mileage, meaning fewer trips to the gas station and more money in your pocket.
To put this into context, a single drop in PSI (pounds per square inch) can lower your gas mileage by as much as 0.4%. If you don’t already have one, you’re encouraged to invest in a tire gauge. This inexpensive device is useful for ensuring that your tires are properly inflated, based on the make/model of your vehicle.
Headlights
It’s not uncommon for drivers to overlook maintaining the headlights on their vehicles; in fact, many take them for granted, until they stop working. Just like checking your tire pressure, changing your headlight bulbs is relatively easy. There are even online tutorials for those who don’t mind turning it into a DIY project.
After all, you don’t want to be driving at night, only to discover that one or both of your headlights are not working. If it’s been a while since you changed your headlight bulbs, or maybe you have never changed them, it's worth taking a few moments to make sure they're working properly.
Wiper Blades/Washer Fluid
It’s probably safe to say that if you can’t see, driving will be rather difficult, which brings us to wiper blades and washer fluid. Wiper blades, along with washer fluid, are a great way to keep your windshield clean while giving you a clear view of the road ahead. So, check and refill your washer fluid reservoir as needed; also, inspect and replace your wiper blades before they’re too worn to help you see in the rain.
When Was Your Last Tune-up?
Lastly, a properly tuned car will run smoother and will be more fuel-efficient than one that has been neglected. As with every other aspect of vehicle maintenance, there are several online tutorials that can help you accomplish this task, which involves changing the fuel filter, wires, and spark plugs. And just like an oil change, this is a task that can extend the life of your engine.
If you weren’t already aware, June is national safety month, and in that vein, this article will address some of the car maintenance tips that every woman should know. Obviously, these tips are not relegated to women, only. In fact, they can apply to anyone who is has a desire to extend the life of their vehicles while remaining safe on the road.
The Five Tenets of Vehicle Maintenance
Whether you’re commuting to work, running errands, or chauffeuring your children to school, it is paramount that your vehicle is in good working order; to help facilitate this goal, you're encouraged to spend a few minutes maintaining your car, truck, or SUV. In an effort to make this information easy to digest, this article is broken down into 5 easy "DIY" maintenance tips including
∙ Changing your oil
∙ Checking tire pressure
∙ Replacing headlight bulbs
∙ Changing windshield wiper blades/wiper fluid
∙ Scheduling tune-ups as needed
Does this list constitute a comprehensive enumeration of all things automotive? Of course, not; it is, however, a list of a few of the main things that you should focus on as a vehicle owner.
Oil Changes
Changing your oil is the single best thing you can do to extend the life of your engine. If you're not willing to change your oil yourself, you should, at the very least, be mindful of its importance. Although oil change intervals can vary, depending on the vehicle, oil changes are recommended every 5,000 to 7,000 miles. With that being said, you’re encouraged to refer to your owner’s manual for oil change intervals for the specific make/model of your vehicle.
Improve Your Gas Mileage
If you have been wondering about how to improve your vehicle’s fuel economy, look no further than your tires. Properly inflated tires can improve your gas mileage, meaning fewer trips to the gas station and more money in your pocket.
To put this into context, a single drop in PSI (pounds per square inch) can lower your gas mileage by as much as 0.4%. If you don’t already have one, you’re encouraged to invest in a tire gauge. This inexpensive device is useful for ensuring that your tires are properly inflated, based on the make/model of your vehicle.
Headlights
It’s not uncommon for drivers to overlook maintaining the headlights on their vehicles; in fact, many take them for granted, until they stop working. Just like checking your tire pressure, changing your headlight bulbs is relatively easy. There are even online tutorials for those who don’t mind turning it into a DIY project.
After all, you don’t want to be driving at night, only to discover that one or both of your headlights are not working. If it’s been a while since you changed your headlight bulbs, or maybe you have never changed them, it's worth taking a few moments to make sure they're working properly.
Wiper Blades/Washer Fluid
It’s probably safe to say that if you can’t see, driving will be rather difficult, which brings us to wiper blades and washer fluid. Wiper blades, along with washer fluid, are a great way to keep your windshield clean while giving you a clear view of the road ahead. So, check and refill your washer fluid reservoir as needed; also, inspect and replace your wiper blades before they’re too worn to help you see in the rain.
When Was Your Last Tune-up?
Lastly, a properly tuned car will run smoother and will be more fuel-efficient than one that has been neglected. As with every other aspect of vehicle maintenance, there are several online tutorials that can help you accomplish this task, which involves changing the fuel filter, wires, and spark plugs. And just like an oil change, this is a task that can extend the life of your engine.
Drew Bishop is a
contributing writer and media specialist for Service First Automotive. He regularly produces
content for a variety of car safety and maintenance blogs.
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