10 Essential Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Car Running

Maintaining your car is about more than just keeping you on the road. Your vehicle needs regular checkups from professionals to ensure your safety. There are, however, some issues which can be addressed without a visit to the mechanics.

Here are ten maintenance tips that can help you to keep your car in excellent condition between those all-important services.

1. Check your tyre pressure

Maintaining the right tyre pressure is important for fuel efficiency, comfortable riding, and long lasting tyre performance. To find specifications, prefer to your car owner’s manual.

On the wall of your tyres, you will see the correct pressure range for each tyre. Once every few weeks, check your tyre pressure when you visit a petrol station to see if it is in this range.

2. Check your oil level

The engine of your car has lots of mechanical moving parts which are operating at high speed and generate friction as they function. Friction generates heat inside the engine and affects the performance of the vehicle. Keeping your car in good condition, one of the quickest and easiest ways is to check your oil levels regularly.

Locate the dipstick under the bonnet and remove it. Then clean it with a cloth, and re-insert it into the housing and seal the lid correctly. Then wait for a few minutes and then remove the dipstick to check the oil levels accurately. On the dipstick, you will find high and low markings to indicate whether you have correct oil levels. Simply adjust to meet your cars oils levels using the right motor oil that is required for your vehicle.

3. Checking your brakes

Brakes make the difference between a safe journey and a nightmare ride. It’s a good thing that most instances of brake failure can be avoided with regular maintenance. 

Brake dust contains a number of nasty substances, so you will want to clean this away. Brakes also get hot, so they have a chance of burning and causing damage if any lubricant or residue falls onto the brake pads. Replace your brake pads, if you notice a degradation or any scraping noises. Brakes are constructed such a way to make a scraping noise as part of an early warning that they need to be changed.

Know more about checking and maintenance the brake system.

4. Windshield wipers maintenance

Windshield wipers make your journey safe and sound and increase driving visibility in lousy weather. Keeping them in working order is mandatory for safe driving. You should replace your wipers once a year. The replacement process is less complicated than you may think.



Check whether the wipers are starting to get streaky or making unusual noise when switched on. Also, check that the blades have no cracks or broken parts. Simply lift the blades from the windscreen and detach the wiper from the frame, then replace with new wipers – again following the owner’s manual recommendations.

5. Paint and exterior cleaning

Your car is likely your most valuable asset after your house, so it’s important to have it shine. For this reason, regular paint and exterior maintenance are required. Luckily, maintaining the paintwork and the exterior denting is not challenging; all you need are some tricks and tips.

Wash your car with proper cleaning solution and washing mitt, as it is affected by dust, salt water and chemical substances. Ensure you are properly cleaning the joints and flanges of the doors and engine wood, as the dirt is likely to hide from view and make sure that the cleaning solution is removed correctly after washing.

Check out  to know more about paint and exterior maintenance. 

 

 

 6. Check your coolant

The cooling system of your car is one of the most vital parts , as it prevents the engine from overheating and keeps your car running. Regular maintenance will ensure the life and efficiency of the engine.

Carefully open and check the reservoir and radiator under your bonnet – once again it’s the recommended fluid level in the owner’s manual that we’re looking for. Also, take the time to visually inspect for faults or damage to the hoses and belts, or for radiator leakage.

7. Dashboard warning lights

Modern cars tend to feature many sophisticated sensors. These sensors notify you if there is something wrong with your car and show warning symbols on your dashboard panel.

The most common lights to flash up are the oil warning, coolant warning, brake warning, ABS or engine lights. It’s important to take a look at dashboard warning lights as they can help you avoid a breakdown, as well as potentially saving you from an expensive repair bill.

8. Check your power steering

A hydraulic system is installed with the steering mechanism of your car to add extra energy to help the wheel rotate quickly. A hydraulic fluid reservoir is added with the system that helps to apply the force to the rotor. The fluid reservoir needs to inspect on a regular basis to see whether it is at the recommended level. If the level is low, add fluid in the reservoir, referring to the owner’s manual for specification.

9. Vehicle battery maintenance

Your battery is the primary electrical power source of your car; it’s responsible for powering the vehicle’s start-up, operation, computer, dashboard lights and so on. Still, most people do not even bother about to know the maintenance process of their car battery.  

Check  your battery for corrosion or rusting around each terminal and keep the  terminals clean and free of dust. Use only a battery that matches the specifications of the vehicle, and go for a battery that use better technology to help them last longer than regular batteries.

10. Lights

Lights are a vital safety component; despite this, a routine check-up is often overlooked in this area.

When checking light casings ensure you check all the exterior lights; headlights, indicators, fog lights, brake lights, reversing lights and license plate lights. Check light casings when they are clean and dry, and ensure all the bulbs are in working condition. Also, check the brake lights and indicators are working as they should. 

Summing Up

Clearly, a lot goes into keeping your car running. Even beyond this home maintenance, professional servicing is mandatory on a regular basis. It’s important to remember that keeping your car in tip-top condition is essential for safety as well. 

Servicing at Mitsubishi service center will make sure the quality and the price for your car maintenance.

5 Tips for Increasing the Lifespan of a Car’s Tyres

As expensive pursuits go, the cost of running and maintaining a vehicle is already one of the most costly expenditures most people have. Saving money on your vehicles upkeep doesn’t have to impact on safety, and in fact, those who ensure their vehicle is well-maintained will eventually save money in the long term. Here are 5 tips on how to increase the lifespan of your car's tyres with car tyre maintenance anyone can perform.

1. Checking Tyre Alignment

One of the very best ways to lengthen the lifespan of your vehicle's tyres is to get an alignment check done at your local service centre. When tyres are misaligned, the physical tread of the tyre will wear down quicker on one side than the other. This means that your tyres may be perfectly fine on the outside, but not on the inside toe, leading to a safety hazard that could be both expensive and dangerous.

Wheel alignment is not usually something the average motorist will be able to do as it requires the car to be jacked up in order to realign the wheels. Your local Mitsubishi service centre will be able to handle the wheel alignment with ease and the costs involved may well be covered by an extended warranty or service agreement.

2. Check Your Tyre Pressure

Tyre pressure plays an important role in determining how comfortable the ride is, how safely you will be able to drive as well as help improve your mileage on the road. Driving your vehicle with improper pressure in the tyres will leave your vehicle susceptible to these issues, and may have a drastic effect on how the car handles on the road.

Tyre manufacturers and road safety guides always say that you should check your tyre pressure before every journey. Whilst this may sound like an extra hassle in the real world, many people buy simple tyre pressure gauges that are similar in size to a USB stick and carry it with them in their vehicle. There is no short cut to safety when it comes to long road trips, so a little car tyre maintenance will go a long way.

3. Don’t Overload Your Vehicle

Overloading your vehicle has an impact on the way your tyres will be able to react on the road and could impact on how the car handles overall. If a car exceeds its maximum payload capability, dangers start to fall into place when it comes to stopping distance, tyre instability when cornering as well as the increased risk of puncture.

Take care to learn about the maximum load capability of your vehicle which you will be able to find in your service manual, as well as any documentation that came with your tyre purchase.

4. Adapt Your Driving Style

One of the simplest ways to improve your car tyre lifespan is to adapt your driving style to take care of the tyres more. Even Formula 1 racers learn quickly that to keep their tyres in the best condition they need to brake gently and early, as well as accelerate and corner fluidly. Take care to ease the vehicle into motion and corner without excessive speed will greatly improve your tyres health overall, as well as increase the time between tyre changes or repairs.

5. Replace Your Tyres If You See Any Damage

Don’t drive on bald tyres and if you see any wear and tear then take note and get your tyres inspected. Whilst the wear on the exterior of your tyres may be minimal, there might be other things going on inside them. Tyres can be damaged by exposure to weather, especially in extreme conditions such as heat and ice. If you see any signs of cracking on your tyres’ sidewall then get them inspected by your local Mitsubishi garage. If you are in any doubt about the health of your tyres, let the professionals take care of inspection and replacement if need be.

Mitsubishi car maintenance can be tricky to carry out but with the right approach, you can be well on your way to ensuring your vehicle is working well, running smooth and most importantly, safe. If you feel that the technical aspect of inspection is a little too technical, invest some time in finding a respectable garage or Mitsubishi service centre that you can have a conversation about your vehicle, and what you need to do to keep it in tip top order.

5 Essential Car Cleaning Tips

Your car goes everywhere you go and looks after you in times of trouble. Taking care of your car and keeping it running smooth will both prolong its lifetime and not leave you needing a cab. But cleaning your car is an essential task that you must regularly perform to also enhance the longevity of your vehicle, as well as keeping it looking spic and span for the years to come.

Most people don’t realize that things like mud, dirt, and grit from the road can have a very negative effect on your vehicle's condition. Just because it may only be a little dirty, those pieces of mud, grit and dirt are slowly adding to the build-up of rust on your car, as well as getting in places where water damage may do some harm. Following these 5 essential cleaning tips will end up saving you money in the long term, as well as giving you a sparkling clean car to drive around in.

Cleaning Your Batteries

One way to ensure that your batteries are working in good condition and that you won’t have any trouble with your car not starting is to try to remove the corrosion on the battery terminals. This can be done rather simply and quickly by using a little baking soda to help remove the corrosion. Always be careful about touching the contacts with any metal, and ensure that rust powder or debris is removed from the battery terminals and is fully dry when finishing up.

Cleaning Your Windows

 

When cleaning your windows it is wise never to use any type of extremely rough cleaning tool as it can damage and scratch your windshield. You can use a mix of soap and water to clean off the dirt and grime that has built up with ease, but for a better finish to get your windshield gleaming, you can use a little ammonia mix in your cleaning water to help really get every spot and speck off your windshield with ease.

Cleaning Your Seats

 

Depending on what type of material your car seats are made out of it could be easier than you think to keep them clean and fresh. If you have fabric seats, use as little water as possible to clean them, and try using some of the available dry powder cleaning methods to help absorb odors and bring a little freshness to your seats. If you have leather seats then there is a number of cleaning products you can use, as well as a little dab of water and soap to bring them back to life.

Cleaning Your Heel Arches and Bumpers

 

One of the essential car care tips you need to do when cleaning your car is to take care of the parts of your car you don’t often see. Your wheel arches collect a lot of dirt, grime, tar and oil in the process of driving, so taking care of these important parts of your car will reduce any rusting or further damage. Clean with a pressure hose and soap to really get out the dirt and grime and let dry naturally.

Cleaning Your Paint Work and Car Polish

 

Washing a car with water and soap is one of the best ways to ensure that your car’s paintwork is in pristine condition. Waxing and further attention to your body work will help protect the paint on the surface, as well as keep your car looking brand new if you ever feel the need to resell at a later date. You can use hair conditioner as a cheap alternative to waxing, and by drying naturally will, in fact, leave your car in great condition without all of the heavy hand work.

Ensuring your car is in perfect condition will extend the working life of your vehicle. Whilst maintaining your car yourself should be done on a regular basis, getting your car serviced is also a necessity. If you ever need original Mitsubishi parts and accessories for your vehicle, find a local garage or servicing specialist that will be able to provide you with the original parts for your vehicle, keeping you on the road, down the road.