Bosch Automotive Repairers will always do their best to ensure expert care for your vehicle, but there are many little day-to-day things you can do to keep your own vehicle in safe and healthy running order. Here’s what your Bosch Automotive Repairers recommend; we hope you find them useful.
Before departing on holiday or any long journey go through this simple checklist to ensure a safe and timely arrival:
- Check all fluid levels including radiator coolant, wiper washer fluid, brake fluid, engine & transmission oil levels, clutch fluid (if applicable) and battery (if a maintenance type).
- Inspect battery terminals (as per your owners manual) for corrosion and tightness.
- Check tyre pressure when the tyres are cold; recommended tyre pressures are printed on sticker affixed to inside of driver’s side door in most cars(see manual).
- Check tyre tread. Tread depth should not be less than a match head. Uneven wear may indicate a fault with the steering, suspension or wheel alignment.
- Don’t forget to check the spare tyre pressure and condition, all to often a common oversight.
- Check to ensure you have your toolkit including your jack, wheel brace, spare globes and fuses.
- Ensure your wheel nuts are correctly tightened. Over tightened wheel nuts can prove very frustrating when there is a need to change tires.
- Consider a car first aid kit and vehicle fire extinguisher.
- Check wiper blades for condition of the rubber and ensure the windscreen is clean.
- Clean headlights and check (high and low beam), tail lights, indicators, brake lights, park lights, stop lights and number plate lights.
- Check brakes and consult a Bosch Automotive Repairer brake specialist if the car has a tendency to pull to one side when braking or if there are any other symptoms which seem unusual.
- Check handbrake by parking the car on a hill, put it in neutral and if it does not hold firm, have it checked and adjusted.
- Check belts. The fan belt and any other drive belts, such as air conditioning or power steering need to be inspected thoroughly for fraying and correct tension so that they do not slip, and any belts that are even slightly frayed should be replaced.
Whilst you don’t have to undertake all of these checks every day, it pays to do so on a regular basis, because ensuring your car is maintained not only reduces your risk of accident and fatality, but also increases the resale value of your vehicle and reduces fuel costs (so important under present circumstances).
And here are some further handy suggestions while traveling:
- Don’t drink alcohol before or when driving. It takes the body on average one hour to clear one standard drink.
- Belt up. Seat belts save lives.
- Allow a 2 second gap between your car and the car in-front to avoid rear end crash. There is a simple way to measure this: When the vehicle in front passes a stationary object, count ”one-one thousand, two-one thousand before you vehicle reaches the object.
- Don’t drive through fog with high beams on, low beams reflect less giving better visibility.
- When towing don’t attach rope to any steering, suspension equipment, rear axle or bumper (consult owner’s manual for instructions)
- Sleep at home not at the wheel– serious crashes are caused when drivers have been too tired. Allow for a 15 minute Power Nap if tired to refresh your senses.