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Together, these three-categories
represent nearly 40% of all service work, and, for good reason. What
these categories have in common is "Preventative Maintenance."
You can avoid costly repairs later-on with these heavy-weight,
"save you money" services when they're regularly done.
To Keep your vehicle in top condition
- Most important, keep your vehicle on a
regular maintenance schedule, as recommended by the manufacturer.
- Check tire pressures weekly. Low
pressures will cause increased fuel consumption, excessive tire wear
and abnormal suspension loads.
If possible, use gas with a detergent
added. Chevron with Techroline is a good example. This will keep
fuel injectors cleaner and your vehicle will perform better.
- Check oil and water levels when
filling up with gas, or at least once a week. Excessive oil or water
consumption usually indicates early signs of potential major
problems. Also check that water does not look rusty and oil does not
have white foam on it. If any of these symptoms occur have your
vehicle checked immediately.
- Check garage floor for fluids. All
fluid leaks should be checked and repaired. A minor leak if left
long enough could cause a major component to fail.
- If coolant needs replacing or topping
up, ensure correct amount of anti-freeze is added. Anti-freeze not
only protects against frost, but includes a rust inhibitor,
essential for reliable operation of the cooling system.
- Brake fluid should be replaced every
two years. Brake fluid absorbs moisture, which can boil when brakes
are applied. This will reduce braking efficiency dramatically. TIt
is also a potentially very dangerous situation, since first
indication of this problem will occur when brakes are heavily used,
for example, in a high speed emergency stop.
- Any noise when brakes are applied
should be checked immediately. Some semi-metallic pads do normally
produce a high pitched squeal. Worn pads, which are quick and easy
to replace, can cause expensive damage to brake rotors if not
changed in time.
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