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Tips for Maintaining Your Car |
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Acquiring a vehicle is a fairly easy task... the tough bit comes later. You may
be already late, but never mind. With the car at your disposal, long bus queues
are passed. You'll be there, not exactly on time, but yeah, almost. Then,
calamity strikes...the vehicle refuses to move...grunts, groans, fumes, and
stops. Why, oh why... Maybe because you forgot that it too needs to be looked
after, maintained, 'regular servicing...'were those the words?
The best and most efficient method of knowing about your car and keeping track
of it is through the owner's manual which provides complete information on how
to go about it. You can inspect your car every time you enter it, or on a daily
or weekly basis or at intervals specified in the manual.
In this section, we deal with those facts that are not mentioned in the manual. |
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A Few While Driving Tips. |
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At times, strange smells may emanate from inside your
car.
The possible causes may be:
• Musty odours indicate the existence of some trapped water, usually under the
carpet. This will ruin the carpet and also speed up corrosion. The proper
solution would be to remove the carpets and dry up both the carpet and the
floor.
• Smoky smells are of various kinds. Electrical smoky smells are the most
dangerous and it is advisable to shut down, open the bonnet, disconnect the
batteries and seek professional help. Other smoky smells may occur when the
sound or heat proof lining inside the engine space burns. Trace the cause.
• Fuel smells occurs either when the fuel tank venting gets choked or if there
has been an overflow.
• Sometimes, oil or exhaust smells from the engine occur. This maybe caused
either due to too much engine oil, or if the engine oil has grown old and is
burning, or if it has been overheated.
• A typical sweatish smell emanates when varnish is being burnt which occurs
when your dynamo or alternator is about to pack up and would, usually be
accompanied by flickering lights.
• Burning rubber smells tend to come when you drive with your brakes on.
Overheated tyres may also be the cause.
Strange smells are an early warning signal that need to be heeded if much more
time and money are to be saved later on.
Strange sounds tend to be sidelined in the bustle and din of
our roads, and by the car stereo playing in the background. However, if the
problem persists, the car will make its condition known every time you take a
corner or ride over a bump. Some easily recognizable sounds are
• Strange clicking while taking a turn from the front wheels means that the
front shaft is about to fall apart. Get it fixed before it actually does.
• A fan-belt squeal means that another one is needed. • Rhythmic clicks from
the wheel indicate faulty bearings at worst or just large pebbles stuck in the
tread pattern at the best.
• A change in engine tone usually indicates engine overheating, especially if
you have been driving at constant speeds for a long time. Stopping or varying
the engine speed should be enough if there is no severe problem. Otherwise, let
the car cool down and then check radiator and water levels.
• Backfiring while normal driving means serious problems and should be properly
investigated. Promptly.
• Engine knocks means that it is time to get into a lower gear. If it persists,
however, it is time to get your engine and engine oil checked.
At times, your car give personal signals which can be
deciphered by only the user. Strange 'hiccups' while driving indicate faulty
fuel which would in turn cause faulty carb or fuel injector. If there is
unequal or wrong air pressure in tyres, it is evident on braking. Unexplained
shudders in braking indicate problems in suspension or linkages.
Finally, you can avoid strange repair bills if you have been going in for
regular check ups!
In this section, we deal with car parts that need regular care. |
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Engine |
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The engine does the most amount of work in you r car.
Its moving parts run at high speed and function at very high temperatures. For
the protection of your engine, change your oil regularly, about every 4,000 km.
Follow the manufacturers recommendations on oil and filter changes. Engine oil,
transmission fluid and fuel are systems that need to be checked and replaced
periodically. |
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Tyres |
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They wear out unevenly. For them to last longer, keep
rotating the position of the tyres and balance them at intervals of around
10,000 km. Under-inflated tyres also increase your fuel consumption by 10%. A
periodic check for stone and gravel enmeshed in the tyres is also a must. |
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Brakes |
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At times you may notice that brakes tend to become
unresponsive, wobbly and act slowly. It is time to check and top-up the brake
fluid reservoir. |
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Battery |
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For the prevention of corrosion, it is imperative that
you clean the battery terminals regularly and apply a light coating of grease.
Also, check the level of distilled water in the battery and ensure that the
plates are covered at all times. If the level of water is very low, the acid
becomes concentrated and the plates get corroded. |
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Interior |
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The interior of the cars must always be spotlessly
clean. Regular vaccum of the interior will prevent the deposition of any kind
of sand, dust, grime or salt from damaging the floor surface. Wipe the dash,
seats, instrument panel and the rear parcel shelf. Use special car cleaners and
not household stuff for cleaning.
For cleaning leather interiors, use only leather-cleaning products. Avoid
cleaners with high alkaline content as they tend to bleach the color off the
leather. |
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Exterior |
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A well maintained exterior is a sign of good maintenance
and goes a long way in jacking up its resale value. This is especially
important in coastal cities where salt air corrodes unprotected metal surfaces.
Wash regularly to keep rust at bay. Wash windscreens with soap and water.
Follow it up with clean water. Then use chamois leather to wipe all the spots
dry. When the car is dry, use a rag dipped in methylated spirit and water
solution to polish the glass.
So then, cars also pass their infancy, reach maturity and then old age. For a
painless evolution from one stage to the other, for both your sakes, look after
your car. Yes. Regular Servicing are those words. |
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