Vehicle Maintenance Tips

At Matthews Auto Repair in Carmel, we can’t stress the importance of vehicle maintenance enough. By having your car or truck routinely inspected and tended to, you can help prevent or limit expensive vehicle repair costs. While you should always refer to your vehicles owner’s manual for specific maintenance guidelines, we offer these general vehicle maintenance tips: 

Air Filter Replacement

The air filter protects your vehicle’s engine from harmful outside debris. Not changing your air filter can result in damaged engine components, reduced fuel efficiency and lowered acceleration. While it depends on your vehicle and how you drive, you should replace your air filter anywhere from 15,000 to 30,000 miles.

Cooling System Maintenance

Your vehicle’s cooling system carries heat away from the engine so that it can operate at the appropriate temperature. It’s a good rule of thumb to check your antifreeze/coolant level on a monthly basis and have your cooling system components inspected (possibly replaced) every two years. These components include your vehicle’s belts, hoses, radiator, thermostat and water pump.

Electrical System Maintenance

Your vehicle’s electrical system comprises the alternator, battery and starter. The average lifespan of a car or truck battery is five years. If your vehicle’s battery is up there in age, we can easily test or replace it for you. Because battery posts and cables are susceptible to corrosion build up, it’s important to inspect these components on a monthly basis and clean when necessary. And while doing so, you should also inspect your drive belt for dryness and cracks.    

Engine Tune-Ups

Once and a while your vehicle’s engine needs a tune-up to keep it operating at its full potential. Because older vehicles require more tune-ups than modern ones, there’s not a hard fast rule for when this service should occur. And because every engine is different, every tune-up service is different. In the most general sense, a tune-up involves inspecting your vehicle's engine components, making adjustments to your vehicle's timing and idle settings as well as replacing your vehicle's air filter, fuel filter and spark plugs.

Exhaust System Maintenance

It’s important to keep your exhaust system in good working condition, which involves repairing broken components as needed, quickly fixing leaks in the exhaust manifold and paying attention to the check engine light. When your check engine light comes on, it usually has to do with your exhaust system, with the cause being anything from a loose gas cap to a bad catalytic converter. It’s important to get the codes pulled off your vehicle’s on-board diagnostics system to make sure you don’t have an engine or exhaust component that’s about to break down.

Fuel System Maintenance

While vehicle fuel is expensive, you may want to consider paying more for better gas to help prevent an expensive fuel pump replacement down the road. Generally speaking, if you have a newer vehicle, it’s a good idea to have your fuel system cleaned every 60,000 miles. Also, be mindful of your vehicle’s fuel filter, which periodically needs replacement. We can do a fuel pressure test on your vehicle and let you know if it’s time for a filter replacement. 

Oil Changes

It’s best to check your owner’s manual to see how often the manufacturer recommends changing your vehicle’s oil. If you have a newer vehicle that alerts you of an oil change, you should get it into the shop as soon as possible. It’s also a good idea to regularly monitor your vehicle’s oil level to check for leaks. 

Radiator Flush

Vehicle manufacturers often recommend a radiator flush every 40,000 to 60,000 miles to help maintain an efficient radiator system and prevent overheating problems. When it comes time to service your vehicle, we’ll drain your vehicle’s original radiator coolant and replace it with a new coolant or an antifreeze and water mixture.   

Serpentine Belt Maintenance

The serpentine belt helps drive your engine’s alternator, air conditioner compressor, power steering pump and water pump. While it can last anywhere from 40,000 to 70,000 miles, it’s important to have your serpentine belt inspected for cuts and cracks on a regular basis. If you hear squeaking noises coming from your engine, it might be time for a belt replacement.

Transmission Maintenance

While maintenance intervals vary by vehicle and driving conditions, it’s important to have your transmission fluid checked and/or replaced on a regular basis. Vehicles that operate in harsh conditions 50 percent of the time, such as being driven in heavy city traffic in high temperatures, should get their transmission fluid changed approximately every 15,000 miles. 

Wheels and Tire Maintenance

To help keep your vehicle driving smoothly and reduce the number of times your tires require replacement, you should get in the habit of having your tire inflation checked every 3,000 miles, your tires rotated every 15,000 miles, your wheels balanced every 3,000 to 6,000 miles and your wheels aligned every 15,000 to 30,000 miles. 

Want to know more about our vehicle maintenance services in Indianapolis? Contact our shop today!