Maintaining your own vehicle is a great way to save money on auto repair services. As long as you are somewhat comfortable with getting your hands dirty and exploring your vehicle’s engine compartment, you should be able to handle some DIY auto repair and maintenance projects.
First, you should be able to monitor the levels of all of your engine fluids.
This includes power steering fluid, motor oil, coolant, wiper fluid, and transmission fluid. Your vehicle’s manual should have detailed information on accessing the reservoirs for these fluids, and the video posted here can help you as well. Note that it’s almost always easier to work on a cool engine, so don’t try to access these fluids after your vehicle has been running. This is especially the case for coolant — hot coolant is under pressure, so don’t remove the cap if your engine has been run in the past several hours.
Just working with these fluids can help you keep your vehicle in excellent condition for less, but you should also be able to check on other vital systems. You should be able to replace your vehicle’s air filter and lubing latches and check your tire pressure, for example. With a little time and patience, you’ll be able to maintain your vehicle with limited professional support.
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