Commonly Overlooked Items

When most of us think of ongoing vehicle maintenance, we tend to only focus on oil changes, wipers or wiper fluid, or tire air pressure. While these are important to check regularly, there are some other important maintenance items that are often overlooked and neglected by vehicle owners.

Below are some commonly overlooked items. Pay attention for these signs in your car and as always make sure proper maintenance is completed regularly on your vehicle.

1. Power steering fluid is the hydraulic fluid that transmits power in your vehicle’s power steering. Over time, power steering fluid may get dirty and could easily clog the components of your steering system. If you hear a squealing noise when you turn the wheels, it might be an indication that power steering fluid is low.
   

2. Alignment refers to your vehicle’s suspension and its connection to your wheels. Potholes or bumpy roads can throw your wheel alignment off, resulting in quicker wearing of your tires. If the steering wheel pulls to the left or right during driving, that may be a sign that your alignment needs adjusting.

3. While newer vehicles have reliable transmissions, it is still possible to have issues with your fluid or filter. Transmission fluid can become dirty with particles over time and clog your transmission filter. Or, your transmission fluid could have a leak, leading to further complications with your vehicle’s transmission. When dirty fluid clogs a transmission filter, you may notice a burning smell when the engine is running. If you notice this, take your car in to be inspected.

4. The timing belt is an important part of your crankshaft system that helps open and close the vehicle valves during operation. Typically, a timing belt will break and cause major damage to your engine. Belts break as a result of wear and/or cracking. If you have a bad or failing timing belt, you may hear a ticking sound coming from the engine.

5. Your engine’s cooling system is what keeps the vehicle from overheating during use. Sometimes coolant can become clogged, which then affects your radiator and the ability to cool the engine. Coolant may also leak, which could lead to engine corrosion and further complications with your engine’s health. If you find a pool of coolant under your vehicle, this may be an early warning sign that you have a coolant leak.