How to Check Your Unused Vehicle's Condition
Set up a schedule for checking the car. , When you first check your car, you should check the body., Check the tires before setting off., Start up the vehicle and take it for a quick ride., Smell for any exhaust., Once you've shut off the engine...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Set up a schedule for checking the car.
Look for rust spots and any vandalism.
Take action if anything looks to be serious., Look for any crazing or cracking, and feel around the sides of the tyre for lumps or bulges.
If you find any of these, the tyre should be replaced for safety.
Check the tyre pressures before driving off, with a good quality (preferably electronic) gauge.
Don't take a quick trip to the gas station to check pressures with their inaccurate and/or abused station gauges
- it's not worth it.
Don't check your pressures after driving as your tires, and the air inside them, will warm up.
This will give a false reading.
If the pressures are lower than recommended, you'll need to fill them.
Under-inflated tyres will reduce your MPG, will wear quicker and can catastrophically part company with the wheel rim., Be sure to take a few left and right turns, make a few stops to check the brakes, and keep the radio off so you can listen to any sounds that aren't normal.
Make sure the engine temperature reaches its normal position on the gauge., If it smells funny, or is strong, you should have it checked.
There could be a leak in the exhaust somewhere., Let the engine cool a few minutes by checking the tire pressure., Pull out the dipstick and wipe it off on a paper towel.
The oil should be a brown color.
Avoid letting it get black.
Replace the dipstick and pull it back out and check the oil level.
If it is a quart low, add more oil, but keep an eye on how often you need to add oil.
If it's fairly often, you may have a leak., This should remain constant at its "full" level.
If it's any lower, add more and keep a close eye on its progress.
Once again, frequent refills could indicate a leak., This doesn't have to be full, but you should avoid letting it run completely empty., This will avoid the brakes seizing on.
If you're leaving the car for a very long time (months), jack up the car and support it on axle stands.
This stops the tyres from cracking., -
Step 2: When you first check your car
-
Step 3: you should check the body.
-
Step 4: Check the tires before setting off.
-
Step 5: Start up the vehicle and take it for a quick ride.
-
Step 6: Smell for any exhaust.
-
Step 7: Once you've shut off the engine
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Step 8: pop the hood.
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Step 9: Check the engine oil.
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Step 10: Check the engine coolant.
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Step 11: Check the windshield washer fluid.
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Step 12: If you're leaving your car for some time
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Step 13: release the handbrake (parking brake) and chock the wheels.
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Step 14: Close everything up
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Step 15: lock the doors
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Step 16: and check back again in a week!
Detailed Guide
Look for rust spots and any vandalism.
Take action if anything looks to be serious., Look for any crazing or cracking, and feel around the sides of the tyre for lumps or bulges.
If you find any of these, the tyre should be replaced for safety.
Check the tyre pressures before driving off, with a good quality (preferably electronic) gauge.
Don't take a quick trip to the gas station to check pressures with their inaccurate and/or abused station gauges
- it's not worth it.
Don't check your pressures after driving as your tires, and the air inside them, will warm up.
This will give a false reading.
If the pressures are lower than recommended, you'll need to fill them.
Under-inflated tyres will reduce your MPG, will wear quicker and can catastrophically part company with the wheel rim., Be sure to take a few left and right turns, make a few stops to check the brakes, and keep the radio off so you can listen to any sounds that aren't normal.
Make sure the engine temperature reaches its normal position on the gauge., If it smells funny, or is strong, you should have it checked.
There could be a leak in the exhaust somewhere., Let the engine cool a few minutes by checking the tire pressure., Pull out the dipstick and wipe it off on a paper towel.
The oil should be a brown color.
Avoid letting it get black.
Replace the dipstick and pull it back out and check the oil level.
If it is a quart low, add more oil, but keep an eye on how often you need to add oil.
If it's fairly often, you may have a leak., This should remain constant at its "full" level.
If it's any lower, add more and keep a close eye on its progress.
Once again, frequent refills could indicate a leak., This doesn't have to be full, but you should avoid letting it run completely empty., This will avoid the brakes seizing on.
If you're leaving the car for a very long time (months), jack up the car and support it on axle stands.
This stops the tyres from cracking.,
About the Author
Frances Chavez
Writer and educator with a focus on practical lifestyle knowledge.
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