One of the first jobs I ever had was as a police officer. As part of our daily routine, before a shift began, it was our responsibility to check the patrol car to make sure that everything was in proper working order. This was a crucial part of our job, especially since (as police officers) we spent a good majority of our work day in our patrol vehicles. Sometimes, we would have to speed in order to get to an accident or an emergency situation, so we absolutely needed to make sure that everything was working properly. Police officers aren't the only people who should check their vehicles though. Think about how often you use your vehicle in a given week. Out of those times you use your vehicle, how often do you use your vehicle for long drives (eight hours or longer).
How many times do you actually check your vehicle before you get into it to go somewhere? If you responded that you never do, then you wouldn't be the only one to respond this way. There are many people who simply get into their cars without the slightest care. How about that little vehicle maintenance chart located in your owner's manual in the glove box? The purpose of it is to help you keep track of the regularly scheduled things that you should be maintaining on your vehicle that are essential to its upkeep, such as scheduling regular oil changes.
WEEKLY
Every car owner should take the time to establish a regular car maintenance schedule. A set routine will help keep car owners aware of potential vehicle problems and help extend the life of the average car. With a good maintenance routine a car owner can expect to their car to last for a couple hundred miles. While the initial car maintenance schedule might involve a monthly check of certain functions after a vehicle has gone over a hundred thousand miles it may be time to start implementing a weekly maintenance schedule.
Checking a high mileage vehicle every week can drastically reduce the risk of ending up on the side of a road waiting for a tow truck. Even though most cars have status indicator lights that will alert the owner about any potential power it is in a car owner's best interest to not be totally dependent on these indicators. There is always the possibility that they are not in a vehicle or that the indicators will not alert the car owner until immediately before the problem becomes critical.
There are a few things that all car owners should get in the habit of checking once their vehicle reaches a hundred thousand miles. First, start checking the vehicles fluids to make sure that nothing is leaking or being heavily consumed. If a vehicles oil level or other fluid levels are constantly low then that may be a sign of a very serious problem. Also begin to do thorough checks of the vehicles tires for excessive wear or low pressure.
Weekly Car Check WEEKLY
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