What Is “Car Maintenance”?
Mercedes Porsche Mechanic | Midtown Auto Repair | Services | Sacramento
P. 916.382.7700
It has been a while since we have talked about maintenance so today we will be reviewing what we really mean when we say, “car maintenance”. We encourage all of our customers and all car owners to get their car maintained even if it seems to be driving just fine. We say this because it is much easier (and cheaper) to fix a problem if it is caught early. When you bring your car to get it serviced or “maintained” these are some of the things that we will be doing.
- Checking the oil: The simplest task to increase the life of your vehicle is to maintain the proper amount of oil in the engine.
- Checking & removing sludge: Sludge is a petroleum byproduct that is a gooey, black-colored substance that builds up in an engine. Removing sludge prevents various engine problems.
- Checking power steering fluid: Older vehicles and new models have a hydraulic power steering pump that is lubricated by power steering fluid. If the pump runs dry, it can fail and require a replacement costing hundreds of dollars.
- Replacing transmission fluid: Transmission fluid cools the transmission, lubricates moving parts, and smooths the shifts between gears. The fluid deteriorates over time and must be changed frequently or else it could lead to various mechanical issues.
- Rotating tires: This is probably the most common or most obvious thing that people think of when they hear the word “maintenance”. The best way to make your tires last the longest is to simply rotate them. Making sure each one has the proper air pressure is equally important in getting more miles out of each tire.
- Checking for a clean air filter: A dirty air filter reduces miles per gallon and can hurt engine performance significantly. A dirty air filter can also contribute to higher engine emissions. This is a simple fix but is necessary for a variety of reasons.
So, when you bring your car in for maintenance, these are some of the things (along with some others) that we will be performing on your car. Bring your car in for regular maintenance to keep it running in tip-top shape.