Do you have a good relationship with your vehicle? Some people would say they have a love hate relationship with their vehicle. But why would they say this other than if the vehicle breaks down a lot.
Even if that is the reason for that type of relationship with your vehicle, is it truly your vehicles fault why it is breaking down, or is it yours for not checking everything you should to keep your vehicle running great for you.
No matter who’s fault it is, yours or your vehicles we need to implement a plan today so you can rekindle your great relationship with your vehicle and starting loving it again. So here are 12 crucial maintenance things to check on your vehicle.
Transmission fluid color and level
Many people forget about this one crucial piece in their vehicle that runs the whole show. If you are thinking the transmission you are correct! Your transmissions dipstick says a lot about your transmission and it’s system.
You can have all the horsepower in the world but if you cannot get that power to the pavement all that power means nothing. The transmission is in constant control of your engine making it possible to convert that energy into momentum.
Have you ever had a transmission that slips gears? How about a transmission that would shift hard into gear? These are things that people 
would think is a failing transmission but if you look at your dipstick and see the color of the transmission fluid this would tell a lot about the actions of your transmission.
Transmission fluid has two jobs, one is to keep the transmission and its parts lubricated. As I said the transmission is in constant movement, it is also filled with a lot of metal parts and metal on metal contact with this movement makes friction which makes heat from this friction.
So the transmission fluid takes this heat and disperses it and keeps those parts moving smoothly together. When the transmission fluid gets dark and black at times it is because the transmission itself has not been taken care of.
Although transmission shops love when you think your transmission is failing it is something more simpler than a full transmission swap. That cause is…….your transmission filter!
Many people either forget or do not know that they have a transmission filter in their transmission. People do not know this because they do not have to know what is in their transmission so it can work and no one has told them.
Your transmission filter is like any of your other filters, it needs changed at a specific mileage increment which can be found in your owners manual. Once you change your transmission filter and cycle new transmission fluid into your transmission you are going to notice smoother shifts and better operation of your transmission.
This preventive maintenance will save you thousands of dollars in repair costs and now you know for the future what the problem can be before taking it to a repair shop. The price on this preventive maintenance ranges between $40-$60 that includes filter and transmission fluid.
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Oil level at dipstick
Engine oil is vital to your vehicles health but that is not what we are looking for. The engine oil dipstick tells you so much more than just where your engine oil is at. Look closely at the engine oil that is still on your dipstick.
Is there anything in if other than oil, is there a white substance on there? Is your engine oil black? Now dark engine oil doesn’t mean anything unless the oil is thick. If your engine oil is thick this would indicate dirt has entered your oil system and you need to change your oil to correct this problem.
If your engine oil is milky and/or frothy this would indicate a coolant leak into your oil system. But this also could mean that water is in your cooling system, e best way to tell the difference is if there is white smoke in your exhaust.
If there is white smoke then it is coolant in your engine oil and this could only happen from a blown head gasket.
Coolant level in reservoir
This step works hand in hand with the last step. If you notice your coolant is depleting faster than it should look for white exhaust out of your tailpipe.
If there is white smoke then you have a blown head gasket. If you do not have white smoke then you need to check for a leak in your engine compartment.
Puddles under engine
Looking for the puzzle is none thing but knowing what the puddle is now that’s the challenge. A great way to tell what fluid is spilled onto the ground is for you to put your finger on it or you can also get a paper towel.
A paper towel would not only clean up the mess but also put the color of the fluid where you can see and decide what it is. Another great tip would be to look where the puddle is and follow the leak on the engine, remember always look up when tracking a leak.
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Spark plugs
Spark is everything to the combustion process but having a nice strong spark is what makes the difference not just a spark. Spark plugs are sent a signal by the computer in newer vehicle and by the distributor cap in older vehicles.
Gone are the days of a spark plug wire and here are the days of the coil. But the importance of this check is keeping up to date with your preventive maintenance records.
Bad plugs decrease the spark quality and a bad spark will increase the chance that the spark will not fully burn all of your fuel that your fuel injectors sprayed into the combustion chamber, resulting in a rich fuel mixture and will increase carbon build up.
Depending on your spark plug will decide the lifespan of that spark plug so make sure you add that lifespan to your maintenance interval list so you have the best quality of parts for your vehicle at all times.
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Fuel time and level
Fuel is another vital ingredient to a healthy running engine. Not only keeping your vehicle filled with fuel but keeping it above a certain level. That level is ¼ tank
of fuel, this specific level has been shown through research that going below this level can be unhealthy for your engine.
Going below this level increases the chance of your fuel pump sucking in debris from the bottom of the fuel tank and water. When your fuel is low this increases the area that your fuel has to evaporate.
It is not uncommon that fuel evaporates, if you would like to fill up your tank with the highest quality fuel, get your fuel in the morning or late at night. Have you ever went to the gas station and you smell the strong scent of fuel?
That is the fuel evaporating in the fuel stations fuel tanks. Filling your fuel up at these times will increase the quality of you’d fuel and fuel mileage that you get from the fuel.
Engine temperature
Engine temperature is very important and everyone knows this. The highlight of the engine temperature is the goal of keeping your engine from overheating. To be able to do this you need to keep an eye on your coolant mixture ratio.
We have already covered the coolant level, but with this section we need to press the importance of the mixture ratio being correct. 50/50 is the correct ratio of coolant and water.
If the ratio is heavier in either direction this will change the operating temperature that everything is set for, an example would be using water only with no coolant. The evaporation temperature of water is 212 degrees Farenheir, the point when most thermostats open is 190-195 degrees Fahrenheit.
This is a problem, do you see it? When you add coolant to water this increase the evaporation temperature of the mix to 223 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you mix coolant with no water this is pure concentrate and will not cool down the engine even better, it will actually eat the seals and gaskets from the inside and that will increase the chance of developing a leak in the system.
Ac operation
I used to live in Phoenix, AZ and AC is as good as gold out there. Everyone enjoys it when their vehicles AC system is working correct.
But when it isn’t working correct it can ruin your mood and your health can be influenced as well. By knowing this the price of AC repair can be higher and the automotive repair shops know this so the price can be a little higher because they already know people will pay for it.
So when your AC is not working correct it is usually because your freon level is not at the correct level. If the freon is too low the system will not work, if the freon is too high the system will not work either. So a great tip is, stop using cans of freon.
This will not cycle the old freon out of your system and it will not vacuum either. Your system needs to be vacuumed by a AC machine that can be found at AC repair shops.
This is very important because it will free your system of all debris which can get caught in your AC components disabling that component and further crippling your AC system.
Tires
Did you know that low tire pressure can effect your fuel mileage by 1-3%? So by knowing that make sure you 
keep your tire pressure to the manufacturer recommendations which can be found on the sidewall of your tire. Low tire pressure can severely tear up your tire increasing the chance of an air leak.
Timing
This is one maintenance precaution that many people know about but do not like getting this done because of the cost of a timing belt job to be completed. But the part that a lot of people do not know about is that on newer import vehicles recommend to get the timing belt or chain changed at 100,000 miles.
If the timing belt or chain breaks on these newer vehicles there is a high chance of your vehicle bending a valve from the timing belt/chain coming off of its position. This will then cost a substantial amount more to get this repaired.
Injectors
With your fuel injectors you need to do a thorough cleaning with them. This will increase your fuel economy and save you a bundle at the fuel pumps.
Pulleys
Have you ever heard that squeal coming from your engine? Many people will use an aerosol like wd40 and spray their serpentine belt with it which will get rid of the squeal temporarily.
Some people believe that it is the belt making this noise but it is actually your pulleys, not just any pulley but in most cases it is your belt tensioner pulley. If this pulley fully seizes it will break your serpentine belt which will then whip around your engine freely and can damage your engine components from this.
These 12 maintenance things are not everything you need to watch on your vehicle but are the frequently looked over components to your vehicle. So watch your vehicle and better yet if you have not started your vehicles maintenance interval schedule yet, then you need to start today. Start saving yourself money in the short and long run today and your bank account will thank you for years to come.
