T Junction is a website run by Leicestershire County Council to give young people the best opportunity to be safe on the roads.
To get the best out of your car, looking after it and making sure it’s in good condition can save you cash!The essential daily checks will keep it safe and legal and you should carry them out before you set off on your journey.
Wheels and tyres: Look for cuts and abrasions or flat tyres and make sure that the tread depth is legal and safe – have a look at this page for more information. Make sure that your tyres are correctly inflated – if not, it will affect your steering and braking. Not only that, but you’ll be using more fuel too. Check the car handbook for the correct tyre pressures.
What’s that funny noise? We all get to know the peculiar sounds that our cars make – occasionally a strange noise creeps in. If you’re not sure, get it checked out at a reputable garage.
Check your brakes: Gently press the brake pedal soon after you move off just to make sure that it is working
Check the oil: This is best done before the engine is started with the car parked on a flat road. If you live on a hill, drive somewhere flat, switch off the
engine,and let the car stand for five minutes. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean with a rag and then put it in again. Now pull it out and check the level – it should be about half way between ‘min’ and ‘max’. If it is below ‘min’ get a pint of oil immediately. If it was OK last week, get a mechanic to check it.
Some older engines use quite a lot of oil and so might need a drop every now and then. You’ll only get to know if you check it. Engines that run out of oil usually die – often at inconvenient times and miles away from home.
Water: Most cars now have sealed or semi sealed ‘coolant’ systems. There is a level indicator on the plastic tank somewhere under the bonnet – this tank doesn’t need to be full – simply up to the relevant mark (if you don’t have a handbook, your dealer can get one for you).
Screen wash: If you’ve ever run out of screenwash in the winter on a slushy motorway you’ll know how important this check is. Check that your wiper blades are OK when you do this, it only takes a minute. When you can’t see out of the windscreen, you crash, especially at night.
Lights: Make sure that all your lights and indicators work. A non working light could get you a fixed penalty ticket. Keep them clean! – A glance at the unswept part of your windscreen in the winter will show you just how much road dirt your lights have accumulated. This will stop you getting a fixed penalty ticket.
Servicing: Keep your car serviced regularly! Saving money in the short term can lead to bigger repair bills later on.
MOT: If your car is over 3 years old, it has to pass a Ministry of Transport test to ensure that it’s legal roadworthy. Click here to find out more about the MOT test.