Checks and maintenance on your car
By checking your car and regularly servicing it, you can help keep it running smoothly and less likely to break down.
Here are some of the things you should regularly check.
- Keep your oil and water levels topped up (check your car's manual for details)
- Keep a bottle of water in your car in case you need to top up the radiator or windscreen washer bottle
- Check that your lights work properly. Replace any burned out bulbs and remember to clean road dirt from the lenses when washing the car. Keep spare bulbs in your glove box
- Check your front and rear fog lights too; remember you should only use your fog lights when visibility drops below about 100 metres
- You can check your brake lights on your own by seeing if they light up a nearby wall or garage door
- Check your tyres for signs of uneven wear and look for any cuts or small nicks in the sides of the tyres
- Check your tyre pressures and the tread depth. You must have a minumum of 1.6mm over at least three-quarters of the tread width for the tyres to be road legal, but you should replace them long before then
- Make sure your brakes are in good working order and have them serviced regularly
- Check that your front and rear wiper blades aren't worn or damaged. If they leave smears across your windscreen, it's time for new blades
- Split, cracked or perished wiper blades are likely to lead to an MOT test failure
- Clean the windows, inside and out, and wipe the lamp lenses and door mirrors
- Test your horn
- Make sure your number plates can be clearly seen (in other words they are clean and not obstructed)
