A Few Basic Car Maintenance Tips for Teens

Finally having the freedom and ability to drive your own vehicle is great. Breaking down on the side of the road or having to spend a lot of money on car repairs…not so great. One way to avoid costly repairs is to focus on proper maintenance of your vehicle. You should be prepared to face this challenge if you want to be a mature and responsible driver. Here are a couple basic steps to follow that will make your life as a car owner easier.

Read Your Driver Manual: this seems like a fairly easy thing to do. And it is! All new cars come with this handy booklet. In it, you should find information on all the features and operating parts of your car as well as proper maintenance tips (including the recommended type of oil, tire pressure, and more).

Check Your Car Frequently: there are a few easy visual inspections that you can do to make sure your car is operating in good shape. Don’t forget to check things like fluid levels, tire pressure, windshield wiper condition, operation of lights, etc. You can also ask your parents or other experienced drivers what to look for and when. These small inspections take a short amount of time and go a long way towards keeping you safe.

Keep Up with Routine Maintenance: pay attention to the service recommendations from your car’s manufacturer. Usually, you will have to bring your car in for routine service every 30,000 miles in addition to regular oil changes and other checks. Remember, follow the advice that you find in your driver manual. It’s the easiest way to keep up. Your mechanic should check the condition of the air filter, brakes, belts, spark plugs, and fluids at regular intervals. Many send out reminders when it comes close to the time for new inspections, but don’t rely on this too much. Ultimately it’s you, not your parents or your mechanic, who is responsible for keeping your car in top shape.

Remember, even a well-equipped car can break down in certain circumstances. Be sure to keep the following in your vehicle in case of emergency:

In snowy or icy areas, you should also keep:

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