One of my former learners has contacted me with a question on what she should check on her car and when. So for this weeks blog post we are going to take a look at what you should be aware of when you drive and other checks you should do on a regular basis.
Check Your Car: Tyres
Your tyres are quite possibly the most important part of your car. The four small contact patches are all that is keeping your car going in the right direction and manoeuvring safely.
Daily
- Check the tyres aren’t soft. A ‘kick test’ will do this nicely but you could use a pressure gauge if you have one handy. You could, if you have it, also use the tyre pressure monitoring system on the car.
- Check for cuts and bulges. If you have cuts or bulges in your tyres, there is a greater chance they could fail if you hit a kerb or pothole.
- Check the tread of the tyre for depth and for foreign objects. This doesn’t have to be a detailed inspection byt if you have a quick eyeball you could save yourself a puncture.
Weekly
- Check the tyre tread depth accurately. Use a tread depth gauge or the edge of a 20p piece. The legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm and a 20p’s edge is around 3mm. Most fleets replace at 3mm tread depth for safety.
- Use a properly calibrated tread depth gauge to check your tyre pressures. You can find your correct pressures in the owners manual.
- Check the sidewall of each tyre throughly for cracking, cuts, bulges etc.
- Check your spare tyre if you have one. If not, make sure your pump is in the boot.
Less Regular Checks
- Check the age of the tyre. You will find a 4 digit code on the sidewall of the tyre, E.g. 0423. It’s easy to decode. 04 means week 4, so probably around 25th January. 23 is the year of manufacture.
If your tyre is more than 10 years old manufacturers recommend replacement as rubber deteriorates with age. If your vehicle is over 3500kg Maximum Authorised Mass it is not legal to run tyres over 10 years old.
DRIVING TEST TELL ME QUESTION
Please TELL ME how you would check your tyres have sufficient tread and are in generally good condition for use on the road?
The minimum tread depth is 1.6mm across the central 3/4 of the width of the tyre and all around the tread. You should also check for any cuts or bulges in the sides of the tyre and if there are any, have the tyre replaced.
DRIVING TEST TELL ME QUESTION
Please TELL ME how you would find the correct tyre pressures for this vehicle and how you would check them?
The correct pressures will be in the vehicle owners manual. You would check them using a reliable pressure gauge; Remember to replace the dust caps afterward and to check the spare tyre if you have one.
Check Your Car: Windscreens, Glass and Mirrors/Cameras
Of course checking your windscreen is a very important job. If it’s obscured then your view of the road is impacted. If it has damage then your vehicles load bearing structure is compromised. The glass on the front and back of the car is part of the roll structure of the car.
Daily
- Check the windscreen for any damage. Small stone chips can be repaired, which should be done as soon as possible as changes in temperature or even just barometric pressure can cause the glass to crack.
If you have any cracks in the windscreen it will need to be replaced. - Check the side windows are clean enough to see through.
- Check the mirrors are clean and free from defects. Remember that if you have less than two rear facing mirrors, your car is not roadworthy.
- Make sure that if you have cameras instead of mirrors they are also clean and that your view of the screen is unobstructed.
Weekly
- Check that any heated/demisting functions work. During the summer you will not use these very often and the last thing you want is to be late for work on a morning in the winter and find you can’t clear the ice from the windows!
Less Regular Checks
- As winter approaches, make sure you have a decent ice scraper.
- Check your windscreeen wipers for damage.
DRIVING TEST SHOW ME QUESTIONS
You can find the show me questions on the windscreen demisters and washers in this blog post:
Show Me Questions – Hyundai Kona
Check Your Car: Under the Bonnet
You don’t have to pop the hood on a daily basis but there are usually in car ways to check many of the under the bonnet functions.
Daily
- Check the car has screenwash. If it is cold, make sure that the screenwash is rated for sub-zero temperatures. You can do this by giving each windscreen a quick squirt.
- Check your brakes. If your brake pedal feels off then it could be a sign you are running low on brake fluid. If it feels wrong, pop the bonnet and check the brake fluid reservoir.
Many manual cars also use the brake fluid as a clutch fluid reservoir, so if your gear shift is getting sticky, this could be the problem. - Check your 12v battery. If functions of your car aren’t working or if it doesn’t unlock using the remote, it could be a sign your 12v battery is starting to give out.
On my Hyundai Kona, the first sign the battery is going low is that the voice control stops working and the front parking sensors go very quiet.
Weekly
- Check the oil level. Pop the bonnet and use the dipstick to check the oil is between the minimum and maximum markers. If its completely black, this could be a sign you need an oil change.
Note: Some posher cars have an electronic dipstick, so you need to check in the infotainment system rather than under the bonnet.
Note: Electric vehicles don’t have engine oil. The only oils in the vehicle will be in the gearbox which is usually a sealed unit so cannot be checked. - Visually check the brake fluid level and if necessary top up with brake fluid. Remember to use the correct grade for your vehicle, either DOT3 or DOT4 usually.
- Check your 12v battery. A good battery will have a green telltale on the top of it which will let you know if its failing.
- Check your screenwash and top up as necessary.
- Give the entire engine bay a visual check for wet marks. It can show you a leak is starting and it’s a lot easier to repair a leak than a breakdown!
Less Regular Checks
- Look for signs of damage to pipes and wires.
DRIVING TEST TELL ME QUESTIONS
You can find all the tell me questions, including the three under the bonnet questions in this previous blog post.
Tell Me Questions – Hyundai Kona
DRIVING TEST SHOW ME QUESTIONS
You can find all the show me questions, including the show me questions on the screen washers in this previous blog post.
Show Me Questions – Hyundai Kona
Check Your Car: Lights and Tail Lights
Checking your lights is a very important job. Not only are they the only thing thats going to help you on a country road at night, they are a legal requirement and your car could fail an MOT if you have bulbs out.
Daily
- When you approach your vehicle and blip the fob, check that all the indicators you can see flash. If they flash too fast, its a sign that a bulb has gone out.
- Use reflections to check your headlights are working.
- Make sure your lights are clean. While you are doing this, make sure your number plates are clean.
Weekly
- Check all your lights. Turn them on and do a walk around check. Get help or put a heavy object on the brake pedal so you can check the brake lights.
Less Regular Checks
DRIVING TEST TELL ME QUESTIONS
You can find all the tell me questions, including the three under the bonnet questions in this previous blog post.
Tell Me Questions – Hyundai Kona
DRIVING TEST SHOW ME QUESTIONS
You can find all the show me questions, including the show me questions on the screen washers in this previous blog post.
Show Me Questions – Hyundai Kona
Check Your Car: In Car Checks
Daily
- Check for any warning lights that stay on after starting the car.
- Check that your mirrors are clean and free from obstructions.
- Check your fuel level.
Weekly
- Check your handbrake. Count the clicks, remember the number. When you do it again, if it goes up more clicks the cable is stretching.
Less Regular Checks
DRIVING TEST TELL ME QUESTIONS
You can find all the tell me questions, including the three under the bonnet questions in this previous blog post.
Tell Me Questions – Hyundai Kona
DRIVING TEST SHOW ME QUESTIONS
You can find all the show me questions, including the show me questions on the screen washers in this previous blog post.
Show Me Questions – Hyundai Kona
Check Your Car: Checks at home
There are a couple of other checks you want to do. Make sure that you know when your car’s MOT is due; new cars don’t need an MOT until their third birthday. Thereafter the MOT is due annually. Also know when your car tax is due to be renewed. You cannot use or park a vehicle on a public road unless it has valid road tax.
Also make sure you know when your car is due for a service. Regular servicing is necessary to keep the car working efficiently and also to keep you healthy. One of the regular service items is the cabin air filter because if it gets clogged or dirty, it can actually pollute the air you are breathing.
If you have a question that you want answering get in touch and it may become the focus of an up-coming blog post.
