By Nnamdi Ikeh-Akabogu (FRSCN)
If you want your car to last, you need to take care of it. That means scheduled maintenance, checking your tire pressure, getting regular oil changes, understanding your car’s warning lights, and not ignoring strange noises.
You also need to keep it clean, service your battery, protect your paint job, and park in shade.
It’s important to keep up with scheduled maintenance for your car in order to prolong its life.
- Check your owner’s manual to see when your car is due for servicing and stick to the schedule
- Get regular oil changes. This is one of the most important things you can do to prolong the life of your car.
- Check your tyre pressure regularly and keep your tyres inflated to the proper level. This will improve your gas mileage and also help prevent flats.
- When it’s time for new tires, don’t skimp on quality. Cheap tyres may save you money up front, but they won’t last as long or perform as well as a good set of tyres.
- Keep an eye on your brake pads and replace them when they start to get thin. Worn brakes can be dangerous and also damage other parts of your car, like the rotors.
- Service your air filter according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. A clean air filter can improve your gas mileage by up to 10%.
- Don’t wait until your “check engine” light comes on to take your car in for service. By then, it may be too late and expensive to fix the problem.
- Be sure to use the recommended type and grade of motor oil for your car. Using a lower quality oil can shorten the life of your engine.
9 . Have any unusual noises or vibrations checked out as soon as possible by a qualified mechanic
The traffic expert is DCC Nnamdi Ikeh-Akabogu, DCC Morning and Evaluation (M&E), Special Duties and External Relations (SEDER), FRCC HQ, Abuja
