Ordinary maintenance of a car can also be carried out independently by each owner. Let's find out together what are the aspects that can be checked daily or periodically without going through the workshops.

The cars, both the newest ones but also those with a few years behind them, need to be checked regularly. Buying a car is in fact an important commitment that must also be synonymous with attention in the time frame in which it is owned and used.

Attention to the health of your car is essential for two reasons.

The first is because it is a means by which we face the road and insert ourselves within a system, namely traffic, which relates ourselves to others. In fact, if we have a car that can have various types of problems, our safety is at stake, but also that of others.

The second thing to keep in mind is that if any minor car problems were dealt with well in advance, more serious problems would most likely never occur. A very simple example: if we checked the oil level routinely, we would avoid a possible case in which the engine remains without or with an inadequate level, a situation to be avoided absolutely to avoid breakage.

For this reason we see below a series of checks that you need to do maybe during your free time.

The simplest is to check the engine oil level . By observing the maintenance booklet that each car has, we can quickly find the dipstick that indicates the oil level positioned inside the hood of the car. The oil level must be positioned between the maximum and minimum level. In the event that this situation does not occur, it is advisable to go to a professional in a workshop. It may be necessary to add a little oil or have the car checked for excess oil.

Another very simple aspect to control is the lights. When we talk about “lights” we mean both the lights that illuminate and the directional arrows. In fact, if a light bulb in our car is burned out, and the latter was for example the turn signal arrow, the people around our car may not understand our intention to turn. As a consequence there could be a dangerous situation inside the traffic. We therefore recommend turning on the car, setting the lighting of all the bulbs and also directional arrows. Getting out of the car and taking a 360 ° turn, we will see if all the bulbs are in perfect working order. In the event that the bulbs are burnt, if they are easy to replace (as they are positioned in easily accessible places) then we can buy them in a supermarket or in an authorized center. Alternatively, it is recommended to go to a workshop.

Another aspect to check is definitely the tires. Having smooth tires, as they say, is extremely dangerous for several reasons. If they are below a certain level of security, in the event that the police carry out a check, we could be sanctioned with a very high fine and the blocking of the car. In fact, it is advisable to always observe the health of the tire, if it is too dry and dated, as well as the depth of the tread. There are on the market, and are easily found on the internet, tools that measure the tread and that suggest a potential dangerous situation. And let's not forget to check the tire pressure, even at the distributor!

In case a violent thunderstorm arrives, we should definitely operate the windshield wipers . These too should be checked routinely, making sure they are not excessively dry. In the end, the windshield wiper is nothing more than a small strip of rubber that runs on the glass of the car. If the rubber hardens excessively, it could even scratch the front window or rear window.

Linked to the concept of "crystal" there is clearly the liquid that is used to wash the front glass or rear window. Always observing the instruction booklet we can quickly find the place inside the front hood where it is possible to top up the washer fluid .

Still inside the front bonnet, we can also safely check the brake fluid and coolant level . These are two very important aspects because they guarantee the correct functioning of the brakes and the correct functioning of the engine management. Simply observe the instructions contained in the manual and we will understand how to quickly recognize these two small trays. Their ideal level is easily identified by some cleats.

Clearly there are a whole series of other checks that must be done by professionals and which can hardly be done by a normal owner. Think for example of any checks on the timing belt, brake discs and pads, spark plugs but also the replacement and cleaning of the EGR valve, without forgetting the inspection, cleaning and replacement of the particulate filter.

How to do for these situations? Very simple! Simply download the YouDriver application on your Android or Apple smartphone and search for the nearest workshop to us. There are thousands of them and in a few moments we can go to an authorized workshop to carry out a complete check of our car. The app is totally free and allows you to have a whole series of discounts at affiliated workshops.

credit photo By Alessio Sbarbaro User_talk: Yoggysot - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4116767