All the Auto Maintenance Tasks You Can & Should DIY

Check Fluid Levels

The attendant at a full-service gas station might check your oil, but if you mostly go to self-serve stations, that’s something you can and should do yourself. Besides that, it’s not a bad idea to check the transmission fluid if your vehicle has automatic transmission. Look under the hood, and you’ll find clearly marked dipsticks for each fluid.

It’s best to do these inspections when the engine is cool and the car is parked on a level surface. Pull the dipstick, clean it with a rag, re-insert it all the way and pull it out again. If the level is below the bottom notch, or the fluid has a strange color (unusually dark or light), it’s time for a fluid change and/or a possible date with a mechanic to diagnose malfunctions.

Change the Oil

“Changing your own oil sounds intimidating,” says long-time mechanic Steve Haney. “But it’s really just a few tools and an hour of your time. Using good oil and a quality filter, you can skip the shop’s labor charge and keep your engine healthy for less.”

This job does require you to get under the vehicle to access the oil drain plug and, on older models, the oil filter (on newer models, the filter is in the engine compartment). If there isn’t enough clearance, you may have to block up the front wheels, and for this, Haney advises using a jack from a reputable manufacturer or drive-on ramps that are rated for the weight of your vehicle, plus a “chock block” for the rear wheels once the vehicle is on the ramps. Always replace the filter when you change the oil (you’ll need a filter wrench to unscrew it), and collect the old oil so you can take it to a disposal station.

Check Tire Pressure and Inflate the Tires

Every car should carry a gauge for checking tire pressure, but if yours doesn’t, you can use the gauge on the air dispenser at any gas station. You’ll find the recommended tire pressure on a label affixed to the side of the driver’s side door. “Properly inflated tires improve fuel economy, extend tire life, and help the car drive better,” says Haney.

If the pressure is low, you can inflate the tires at the gas station, but an even better idea is to carry a portable inflator that plugs into the vehicle’s lighter socket. That way, you won’t get stuck if your tires lose pressure while you’re driving out in the country.

Check Tire Tread Depth

Tread depth is just as important as air pressure to a tire’s performance, and while you can buy a tool to measure this accurately, the spare change in your pocket can tell you all you need to know. Take out a penny and insert it into the tread with Lincoln’s head upside down. The top of his head is 2/32″ from the edge of the coin, so if the tread covers that, you’re fine. If you can see the top of his head, however, it’s time for new tires.

You might not even need to do the penny test, and in a few years, you might not be able to, since penny production has been discontinued. Many tires have wear indicators that are small raised strips inserted inside the treads. When the surface of the tire aligns with the strip, the tire is worn out.

Replace Wiper Blades

Wiper blades wear out more quickly than you’d expect, especially during the summer when sun and heat degrade the rubber. The best time to replace them is in the fall, before the snow starts to fly and the roads become slushy, but if you see streaks on your windshield when the wipers are working, don’t wait. Do it now.

You don’t need tools to change the wiper blades; most have a self-release lever that you can depress with your fingers. The most important thing is to make sure you purchase the right replacement blades, which is why I usually take an old blade with me to the auto parts store to make sure I get an identical match.

Replace Air Filters

“Air filters play a very important role in keeping our engines and our lungs healthy,” advises Haney. “If you’ve seen your filters get replaced before, you know how dirty they can get. Cabin air filters are very easy and straightforward to replace. It’s a task anyone can do in about five to 10 minutes.”

The most challenging part of this task is knowing where the filters are and how to access them, and that information is in your owner’s manual. You’ll also have to buy new filters, but they cost a fraction of what it does to have a service pro do this job.

Diagnose “Check Engine” Light Faults

When the dreaded Check Engine light comes on, do you immediately have to take the car in for service? Maybe not. It may have come on because of something small and easily repaired, says Haney, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore it, or he warns that it could turn into something much bigger and more expensive. On the other hand, the light could signal a condition that will result in serious damage if you keep driving the car.

Rather than taking chances, consider purchasing an inexpensive OBD-II reader (about $25). Plug it into the port located behind the dashboard under the steering wheel with the engine running, and it will display a code that will tell you what the problem is. If it’s a small issue like a plug misfire or a sensor failure, you can take the car in when you have time, rather than having to drop everything and drive directly to the service center.

Replace Brake Pads

This maintenance task isn’t quite as simple as the others, but it can save you hundreds. Ryan Salata, who markets specialty auto parts, says: “One customer cut the cost of brake pads on three cars to under $300 through a combination of YouTube tutorials.” The normal service charge would have been $350 to $500 for each vehicle, he says.

Depending on the vehicle and your skill level, this job will take two to four hours. You need to jack up each wheel in turn, remove the wheel and release the brake caliper so you can lift it. For this last part, you may need to consult YouTube or your owner’s manual for the location of the bolt that holds it. Once you’ve lifted the caliper, simply pop out the old pads, spread anti-squeal paste on the new ones and install them. Retract the caliper piston so you can lower the caliper (I use a C-clamp for this), and put everything back together.

About the Experts

• Steve Haney is the corporate technical sales trainer at Bosch Mobility Aftermarket. He has more than 35 years of hands-on automotive repair experience.
• Ryan Salata is the marketing director at Proform Parts (Specialty Auto Parts USA, Inc.), a company that manufactures high-performance automotive aftermarket components.

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