How to take care of your vehicle
Proper maintenance and care of your vehicle are vital if you are going to provide you and those that you care for with a comfortable, safe and problem free ride. It is important that you keep the engine in good working order, but once you start travelling probably most important are your brakes.
Brakes:
Brakes are used to stop the vehicle once it has started moving. It is most common that brakes will not operate properly when one works before the other one; this will develop uneven wear of your brakes. This improper action can cause your car to swerve when you brake, this can cause an accident and harm to you and possibly others. You can easily check if this uneven action is happening with your brakes by testing them.
In a low traffic area, with no other cars on the road, travel at a low rate of speed and while gripping the steering wheel firmly, press down on the breaks to feel if there is tension that wants to pull the car to the right or the left. If your brakes are not working properly, you will need to have them looked at by a mechanic. Another area that can be a problem for your car’s brakes is the brake fluid. If you feel that your brake pedal is going down when you press on it further than it used to, your car may be low on brake fluid. You need to have this checked immediately as a loss in brake fluid can indicate a lead somewhere in your braking system.
Tires:
The tires of your car are what you ride on. Their proper maintenance and inflation are vital to operating your vehicle properly. You will need to be aware of the tread on your tires, if the tread is unevenly worn or is low, your car will not be able to operate as it should. If your cars are improperly inflated this will cause uneven wear on your tires. Once your tires have worn unevenly, your car can “pull” to the left or right when you are driving it which can lead to unsafe driving.
Lights:
The lights on your car make you visible to other drivers and often indicate to other drivers your intentions while your drive. It is important that the lights on your car work properly. You should know that your tail lights, stop (or brake) lights, directional lights and license plate lights are working at all times. If one of them does not work properly you need to repair it as soon as possible. Your car will not be able to operate safely without these lights working properly.
Windshield:
Your windshield and our windows are what allow you to see out when you drive. It is important that your windshield wipers are working properly and are able to clear rain and snow from your windshield as you drive. Your defroster is important in helping to keep your windows clear of moisture build-up on the inside of your windows. Make sure that your defroster works properly and that you understand how to work it in order to provide for a safe driving experience.
Exhaust:
It is important that your exhaust system works properly and that it does not allow carbon monoxide and other harmful gases to enter the interior of the car. You also must be able to see your speedometer and both your speedometer and odometer must work properly by federal law. There are so many more things that you need to be aware of to provide for safe driving. Some of these things may seem obvious, but be careful to make sure that passengers or pets do not hinder the driver from driving or from see while they drive. Also, your rear view mirror and horn should be working properly. It is also a state law that says that nothing can be hanging from your rear view mirror or from your sun visor.
Emissions:
The emissions control system on your car must work properly. Cars account for 50% of the air pollution in the state of Vermont. There is an annual inspection of all cars that is designed to make sure that car emissions are kept at a minimum. The catalytic converter is designed to lower your cars emissions, it is against the law to tamper with or disconnect your cars catalytic converter. It is important that you’re on board emissions (OBD) is checked and that it is working properly.