Tips For An In-Home Inspection Of Your Vehicle

by E4TP Contributor
June 10, 2022
5 min read

Do you have what it takes to become an automotive technician?

For many, getting a car and learning to drive is a right of passage into adulthood.

However, not many realise how important it is to maintain that car. They do not realise how dangerous and potentially dire not keeping up with regular and annual inspections can be.

Many countries have legislation in place to monitor the regular inspection of vehicles. The legal requirement is just the baseline of a list of things that needs inspecting.

There are checks you can do that are important and should be implemented into your daily routine before setting off in your car.

There are already several checks you may routinely already make while getting into your car. Adding a few more checks to your routine can ensure the safety of yourself, your vehicle and other people and drivers.

In this article, we will provide you with a few tips for an in-home inspection of your car.

Engine Oil and Transmission Fluid

Before getting in and starting your car, check the oil level daily to confirm that your engine hasn’t had an oil leak or is burning oil without you knowing.

Confirm if the oil is the correct viscosity for operating in extreme cold or heat in your user manual.

Checking your oil level is one of the fastest and easiest things you can do to ensure your car will function properly. Look for the dipstick labeled ‘Oil’, untighten it and pull it out.

Wipe off any residue with a cloth and place it back inside. Now pull it out one more time and check where the oil marked the stick. Typically, the oil mark should be near the ‘full’ marker on the stick. Tighten it back in.

Likewise, do the same process with the dipstick labeled ‘transmission’ but watch out for any metal particles or chunks on the stick. If you notice any, call a transmission expert immediately, such as My Transmission Experts.

Tire Air Pressure

It’s good practice to confirm that all tires are inflated visually, and once a week, confirm the same for any spare tires as well.

Be sure to check for any damages or tears on your tires. Driving is highly unsafe if your tires have low tire air pressure. This is because your car will lose grip and responsiveness, which is necessary, especially at high speeds.

This can lead to accidents that can be fatal for you and others.

Lights

Confirm headlights; beam, low-beam, fog lights, taillights, and both front and rear signal lights work. Use a damp cloth to clean film, dust, and dirt from all light lenses during regular cleaning.

These lights are necessary to see when it is dark, ensuring safety for you alongside other drivers and pedestrians.

Windshield and Windshield Wipers

You’re going to be looking through the windshield almost the whole time on the road. Therefore, make sure to keep the outside and the inside of the glass clean as well.

Ensure the wipers work efficiently without any streaks or gaps in their paths, and check whether there’s enough windshield water fluid to clean the windshield.

Horn

While driving down any street, the first thing you want to be sure of is that you can warn others of your vehicle’s presence or bring attention to some danger.

You need to ensure that your car horn is working correctly. If you begin to notice the horn becoming weaker with time, we recommend getting it checked out. A working horn can only aid in making sure you and others remain safe.

Seatbelts

Another safety measure built-in to your car is seatbelts. It ensures you remain still and secure in your seat while driving.

Before starting up your vehicle, make sure the emergency restraint, recoil and latches on your seatbelt work properly.

After all, a working seatbelt can decide whether an accident ends up being fatal or not.

Battery

Once in a while, check on the battery in your car.

We recommend doing so every week. Look for signs of corrosion and confirm that the connections are tightly secured by doing a tug test and ensuring that it’s mounted firmly in place.

After all, the battery is one of the more critical components of the car as there are many electrical circuits that it powers. Additionally, it ensures that the engine ignition works.

Leak Check

Many of us have seen oil stains left from a previously parked vehicle in parking lots or driveways.

Though this isn’t an uncommon occurrence, it doesn’t mean that a car leaking oil should be left unchecked. Oil is a necessary fluid that the vehicle and its components need. Ignoring leakage can lead to further issues that can have a toll on your pocket.

Therefore, look around and underneath your car and watch for signs of a leak. We recommend taking it to be checked by the mechanic.