An ounce of car maintenance can save the summer

Hello, fellow Riverdalians. I’ve been driving since getting a learner’s permit at age 17. I’ve always enjoyed working on the mechanical aspects of cars. Yes, sometimes I have broken things that didn’t need fixing, but I’ve never ended up dead on the side of the road.

Electric cars will eliminate a lot of this work, as an electric drive is mechanically a million times simpler than an engine and transmission. As we head into summer, I would like to share a few basic maintenance items and tips with you. 

Usually, when I’m down at a service station checking my tire pressure, I see someone trying to refill a low tire based on how the tire looks. You cannot possibly know how much air is in your tire by looking at it. Radial tires always squat even when correctly filled. I stand there with my arms crossed and offer to show how to check the tire pressure with a gauge. Sometimes the other driver accepts advice, sometimes they give me the usual New York reply. 

Charming.

When they do accept, I go over with my gauge and show them they put 70lbs of air which is about 40lbs more than the correct level. The car will ride terribly, brake poorly and destroy their suspension over our wonderful pothole-laden roads.

If you’re going to do this yourself, buy a decent gauge for a few bucks. I have found cheap pencil gauges give you a different reading every time you put them on the valve. Fill your tires according to the sticker on the door — not the tire sidewall — when your tires are cold. Even after a few miles of driving your tire pressure will rise by at least 5lbs, giving you an inaccurate reading, particularly in this summer.

Even with all the electronics your car has, it still needs basic maintenance. 

Check your oil dipstick and wait a few minutes after the engine is off so that you get an accurate reading. Use only the oil your car recommends. It’s usually marked on the filler cap. Don’t get anything cheaper than synthetic blend — most cars now want full synthetic — and be sure to use the correct grade. If your car has a transmission dipstick, pull it out and read it, as it tells you how to check. If you do need transmission fluid, use a funnel and fill it very carefully so you don’t overfill.

Check your coolant level by looking at the coolant reservoir.

Never ever attempt to take the cap off the radiator, particularly when it’s hot, or you will give yourself the worst facial you ever had.

Check your brake fluid level by gently removing the cap on the brake reservoir and do not overfill.

If you have an older car that has hydraulic power steering, check the reservoir level by removing the cap and look at the little dipstick.

Your engine and cabin air filters need changing annually. I wait until the pollen season is over. Engine filters are easy; cabin filters are behind the glovebox and YouTube videos are excellent. My cabin air filter after one year is shockingly filthy.

At some point, you’re going to have to change the coolant, transmission fluid, transaxle/transfer case (if you have all-wheel drive), brake fluid and a few other maintenance items, unless you enjoy catastrophic failures. Assuming you don’t have a full auto shop, find a mechanic you trust via rating services and social media. This is hard and expect a shop you love one year you may hate the next. Dealerships will always drain you of your last penny for non-warranty work.

If your AC stops working, you may need a quick recharge over time, or worse a serious leak. Hopefully it’s not an item like evaporator, condenser, compressor or clutch.

Good luck and, as they say, happy motoring!