Car maintenance basics

As a car owner, you should be fully aware of maintenance needs, or you might be facing some large and expensive problems. At Kearys BMW, we fully understand the importance of properly maintaining your car. Each time you visit our service department, trained technicians address multiple maintenance points, so can remain confident that everything will run smoothly.

Battery

When you think car maintenance, the battery might not be the first topic to come up. But the fact is that your car battery does need to be maintained, or it might stop working.

One of the most common problems is when the battery terminals become excessively dirty. Dust, oil, corrosion, and other debris can build up on the metal, blocking the flow of electricity coming into and going out of the battery. You’ll need a wire brush, plus a mixture of baking soda and water to clean the terminals thoroughly.

While you’re cleaning the battery terminals is the perfect time to inspect the cables. If you can move them by hand on the terminals, they’re too loose. That alone could cause your engine to not start. Tightening the cables takes just a few turns with a wrench, and you’re done.

Paint

You might think your paint is all about having the right colour, but there’s so much more to it. Sure, paint does make a car look good, but it also acts as a protectant for the metal underneath. Damage to the paint can have a serious negative consequence, like rust eating away at your car.

Wash your car on a regular basis. It gets rid of anything from tree sap to salt. Those kinds of things will eat away at the finish and paint, exposing the metal over time, which is how problems start.

Not only should you wash your car, you also need to wax the paint. About once a month is good for applying wax to your vehicle. It places a protective coating over the paint, as well as makes your car look shinier and better.

Tyres

You need to monitor your tyres on a regular basis. Check the air pressure about once a month or so, especially when outdoor temperatures have been changing often. Too little pressure will cause your tyres to wear out sooner, hurting fuel efficiency as well.

Your tyres need to be rotated and balanced regularly, too. That means taking your car to a professional shop, since it requires special tools and knowledge. Failure to do so can cause the tread on your tyres to wear unevenly, which negatively impacts safety, fuel efficiency, and performance.

Service Appointments

One of the best things you can do to properly maintain any car is to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for servicing. At certain points, technicians will inspect the car for problems, as well as swap out fluids such as oil.

Failure to have your car serviced regularly can void the warranty. It also might mean small problems go undetected, becoming something much bigger and far more expensive to fix. Service appointments don’t take long, so you can get on with your day.

Come to Kearys BMW to address any maintenance issues on your car.